Between Friends
by Ginger James
Summary: Avery Matthews and Jon Good bring out the absolute worst in each other. She loathes him and he returns the sentiment. The only thing they can seem to agree on is that they'd like to forget that once upon a time, they were a happy couple. So why is he so bothered when a new man comes into her life? And what how will they handle being forced to work together? Ambrose/OC/Orton.
1. The Beginning

**Same disclaimer as always: I only own my OC Avery and any OC that may appear later. I obviously do not own any of the real companies/people depicted in the story.**

**Also, a quick note: Some characters will be referred to by their real names and some will not. Paige plays a big role in the story and so does the show Total Divas. In my head, it only makes sense to refer to her as Paige instead of Saraya because that's the way they refer to her on the show. Here and there, you'll see someone referred to by their ring name: it just means they won't be a major factor in the story.**

**As always, Read, Enjoy, and Review!**

_**The Beginning…**_

_Avery Matthews winced at the pain in her back as she jumped down from the ring apron. It probably hadn't been the best idea for her to agree to take several chair shots in her final match before leaving reporting to NXT. But she wasn't exactly known for her stellar decision making. At least the bruise was going away. She didn't need to come in looking like a punching bag. Her farewell match was in Japan against her idol, Manami Toyota, so if the woman had asked to hit her over the head with a baseball bat, she would have considered it at the very least._

_Her high school guidance counselor had once told her that she was "far too intelligent to be so reckless". Avery didn't disagree with the assessment but she also never made even the slightest attempt to change it. She didn't consider it to be a flaw. She was perfectly capable of being a responsible, rational adult. She paid all of her bills on time; she always had groceries, things like that. Sure, she had uprooted herself and moved to Japan at 18 but when she got there, she quickly found herself a place to stay and a job and she got to train with some of her idols. She wouldn't have traded her time there for anything in the world. She learned so much that she didn't feel she would have stateside. She was based there for just over 2 years, though she traveled a lot, doing some work in Mexico and occasional appearances in the US. She became a highly decorated champion and when she decided to move back home, she was a major draw on the independent circuit. She'd been in the top 3 for PWI Woman of the Year for three years running without setting foot in either of the big two American companies. She called herself the 'best women's wrestler in the world' and the fans started to agree. And all of that led her to where she stood at that moment with a sore back but high spirits. She had a signed, sealed, and delivered WWE developmental contract and she would soon be making her debut in NXT._

_So far, she was having a great time. Her first day, she'd been thrown into the ring with Paige and she and the dark haired Brit had clicked in an instant. It was nice to have made a friend so quickly. She'd realized when she came back to the States that making friends with other women in the business wasn't nearly as easy as it had been in Japan. Things were so much more competitive and a lot of women in the business saw other women as a threat and nothing more. That wasn't to say that she hadn't made _any_ friends. She certainly had. But she had definitely become a guy's girl. _

_The theme from Rugrats playing broke through her thoughts and she walked over to her gym bag, pulling out her phone._

"_Matthews House of Horrors," she answered cheerfully._

"_It's about damn time you actually answer your phone," Kevin Steen's stern voice greeted her._

_Despite his gruff nature, Kevin was one of her favorite people on the face of the Earth. They met when she did some ROH/Shimmer shows and he'd taken her under his wing. At the time, her skills in the ring were solid but she needed some help deciding where she wanted to go with her character. Kevin helped her immensely with that. He helped her work on her promo skills, getting heat. She gave him all the credit for how well she could work a crowd now. She thought it was ludicrous that she had a WWE deal before him but she knew that he wouldn't be far behind her._

"_Good morning to you too Kev," she laughed. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"_

"_Jess told me to check on you," he said. His wife Jessica was a sweetheart and a good friend but Avery knew that if Jessica was worried, she would have just called herself. _

"_Sure she did," Avery smirked. "I'm fine. Just finished doing some work in the ring with DeMott. I'm about to head out."_

"_And you're liking it so far?"_

"_I am," she answered. "I have a meeting with creative tomorrow afternoon to go over some ideas."_

"_Don't let them push you into anything stupid," he advised. "If I see you in some bullshit cowgirl gimmick or something, I will never speak to you again."_

_Some of the guys in ROH had a running joke that when Avery got signed, Vince would want her in some ridiculous country girl gimmick. She was born and raised in Nashville, though she didn't have much of an accent anymore. Kyle O'Reilly had given her the name Avery Mae. Every once in a while, when she wanted to get a good laugh, she would spend a day in character as Avery Mae, complete with a flag printed cowboy hat._

"_No cowgirl, I promise," she laughed. He'd lectured her many times before about standing her ground, making sure she had a say in her character. She had no idea what they had in mind for her but she would make sure she didn't embarrass herself._

"_Have we found a place to live yet?" Kevin asked. Avery was staying on the couch of a friend of Kevin's at the moment. She hadn't wanted to sign a lease until she knew she would definitely be staying._

"_Not yet," she sighed. "I'm gonna start looking today. I was thinking of just going on Craigslist or something. I'm gonna need a roommate."_

"_You are not looking for a roommate on Craigslist. Do you wanna get _murdered_?"_

"_You're so paranoid," she laughed. "Craigslist is a very helpful tool."_

"You're_ a tool Avery," he said. "No Craigslist. I'll find you someone."_

"_I'll handle it myself, but thank you," she smiled, hoisting her gym bag up onto her shoulder. "Listen, I should probably go. I'll call you later after the meeting tomorrow. Say hi to the family for me."_

"_I will," he said. "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."_

"_Can't promise that. Bye."_

_She was looking down at her phone as she reached the front door. When she pulled the handle, it didn't budge. __She looked up and laughed when she saw someone on the other side of the glass door. She recognized him immediately as Colby Lopez._

* * *

_Colby couldn't help but stare as he held the door open for the young woman. She laughed, "Sorry about that."_

_She had one of those brilliant smiles that could put you in a trance. He'd never met her in person but he knew exactly who she was._

_Avery Matthews_

_He heard that she finally signed a deal but he didn't know she'd already made it to Florida. There was a lot of buzz around her finally joining the WWE. He'd never seen her work live seen a lot of her online and he was very impressed. She was different than any of the women they had. All of her time in Japan showed in her style. She used some pretty wicked striking. Lots of kicks and knees. And she was known for her extensive knowledge of submission wrestling. They even called her the Woman of 1,000 holds, like a female Dean Malenko._

_On top of that, she was beyond easy on the eyes; tall and athletic but still very feminine and curvy. Her hair was a stark, silvery white that was twisted up into a bun on top of her head. She was a known tattoo enthusiast and she had a beautiful half sleeve of watercolor flowers from wrist to elbow on her left arm. She also had a septum piercing. Colby wasn't normally a fan of those but hers was so tiny and thin he wouldn't have been able to see the faint silver ring if he hadn't been standing so close. _

"_Are you okay?" Avery looked up at him, probably concerned that he was just standing there like a mute._

"_Yeah, I'm okay, sorry," he laughed, reaching out his hand, "Colby Lopez."_

"_I know, I'm a big fan," she shook his hand. "I loved all of your stuff in ROH. I was a big Tyler Black fan."_

_Colby smiled, glad the admiration was mutual. _

"_So I take it this means you signed your deal?"_

"_I did, I got down here about a week ago," she explained._

"_I've been working dark matches with the main roster," he was trying to explain his absence but he was pretty sure it just sounded like bragging. She didn't seem to mind though._

_She flashed a big smile, "That's awesome. How'd it go?"_

_They spent the next few minutes talking about Colby's recent travels until someone had to interrupt them to get inside since they were blocking the door._

"_We should probably get out of the way," she laughed. "I gotta get the car back anyway. I borrowed it."_

"_I'll walk you," he offered, falling into step beside her._

"_It was really nice getting to meet you," she smiled. "I'm looking forward to seeing you work in person."_

"_Same to you," he said. "I'll see you around."_

"_You will," she nodded, looking down to fish around in her bag, presumably for her keys. Colby started to walk away, heading back toward the building but he stopped, turning toward her again._

"_Hey Avery."_

"_Yeah?" she looked up, surprised._

"_How are you gonna celebrate?" he asked._

"_Celebrate what?" she looked confused for a moment but he gestured back to the building and she laughed, "I hadn't really thought about it. I don't know."_

"_A bunch of us are going out tonight, you should come," he suggested. "Get to know the crew."_

"_You wouldn't mind me tagging along?"_

_He walked back over to her, handing her his phone, "Give me your number. I'll text you the details."_

_She smiled, typing her number into the phone. She handed it back to him, "There you go."_

"_I'll let you know. We'll probably go around 8 or 9."_

"_Sounds like a plan," she nodded. "I'll see you tonight."_

"_See you tonight," he waved. She got into the car and he once again headed back, this time with a little extra pep in his step._

* * *

_Avery walked into the restaurant, looking around for familiar faces. She was hoping she'd shown up at the right place. She didn't see anyone she knew. As if on cue, her phone started to buzz in her pocket and she pulled it out, seeing Colby's number._

"_I _think_ I'm here," she answered._

"_Hey, I'm sorry I'm late," Colby said. "We were almost there but then Paige called and said she needed a ride."_

"_Hi Cupcake! I can't wait to see you!" Paige shouted in the background._

"_Tell her I can't wait to see her," Avery laughed. "I'll just hang out at the bar until you guys get here."_

"_I'm sorry," he repeated. "We'll be there in like five minutes."_

"_Relax, no worries," she assured him. "What do you want? I'll have a drink ready for you."_

"_Lady's choice," he laughed._

"_Deal," she smiled. "See you when you get here."_

* * *

_Jonathan Good walked into the restaurant, looking around for Joe. He was supposed to be meeting him there. Jon was about 15 minutes late but Joe had taken to lying to him about what time he needed to show up for things so, in reality, he was probably early. He hated when people caught on to his perpetual tardiness. They always started trying to trick him. His tardiness wasn't okay but somehow their lying was totally cool._

_He didn't see Joe anywhere but he did see something that caught his eye. Something much better._

"_Hey New Girl," he smiled, sauntering over to Avery Matthews as she took a seat at the bar. He hadn't met her yet but he'd been looking forward to it. Colby met her earlier that day and he talked about her like she was some kind of angel sent down from heaven._

_She turned around in her seat and raised an eyebrow, looking up at him, "Hi?"_

"_I'm Jon," he reached out his hand. "Jon Good."_

"_New Girl, apparently," she smirked, shaking his hand. "Nice to meet you."_

_He liked her voice. It had this faint, raspy sexiness to it. And he could definitely see what Colby was raving about. She was a stunner._

"_You as well," he smiled, looking her up and down. _

"_You know, we have a mutual friend," she pointed. "Kevin Steen."_

"_Yeah, I know Kev," he nodded. They'd been friends for years. They weren't the type that talked every day or anything like that but when they were in the same town, they usually met up for a beer._

_She laughed, shaking her head as the bartender arrived with two beers for her._

"_What's so funny?" he asked as she handed over a credit card._

"_Nothing," she said, smiling like the cat that ate the canary._

"_Nothing my ass," he leaned against the bar, taking one of the beers._

"_That is not for you," she admonished, though she didn't actually seem angry._

"_It is now," he grinned, taking a drink. "Now what were you laughing at?"_

"_Well," she took a drink herself. "Steen warned me about you."_

"_Oh he did, did he?" Jon asked, surprised. "And what did he warn you about?"_

"_He told me that you were gonna hit on me," she said, resting her elbow on the bar and her chin in her hand. "And he said if you did, I was to stay far, far away from you."_

"_Well he was right about one part," Jon said, unfazed. "I'm definitely gonna hit on you."_

_She laughed loudly and he knew immediately that he wanted to make her laugh like that again. It was a great, warm sound._

"_You are beautiful, you know that?" he asked, moving a little closer to her._

"_I've been told once or twice, yeah," she nodded._

"_Does your boyfriend tell you that?" he smirked._

"_Oh I don't have a boyfriend," she looked up at him with big hazel eyes. "I'm celibate. You see, I'm very religious. Jesus is my only partner in life."_

_He laughed at the sweet, pious smile she gave him, "I like you. You're funny."_

"_I've been told that before too," she giggled. Something over his shoulder caught her eye and she shifted on her stool, "My dates are here. I should probably go."_

_She got down from the stool but he stepped in her way, "Don't run off so soon. I still owe you a drink. And you haven't agreed to go out with me yet."_

_She looked up at him, thoroughly amused, "You don't beat around the bush, do you?"_

"_Nope, never saw the point," he shook his head._

"_Neither do I," she crossed her arms, accentuating her ample chest, momentarily drawing his eyes down. "So I should probably tell you that I was joking about the Jesus thing, but not the other part."_

"_The celibacy part?" he chuckled. Someone that looked like her could not possibly be celibate. It was an injustice. _

"_Yes, that part," she laughed as well. She playfully smacked him on the arm as he laughed. "I'm serious. I'm off men for a while."_

"_I bet you a hundred bucks I can get you to break that in two weeks," he said, unabashedly cocky._

"_Are you asking me to pay you for sex?" she teased. "Because that's what it sounds like."_

"_That's not _exactly_ what I meant," he laughed._

"_I certainly hope not," she smiled. "You look like you'd be worth more than a hundred bucks."_

_She gave him a wink before walking away and he could do nothing but watch. This was going to be fun._

* * *

"_There she is!" Paige pointed excitedly._

_Colby laughed as Paige practically bounced out of her shoes. She had way too much energy for one person. He looked over at the bar and he smiled when he saw Avery. Until he realized she was talking to Jon. He rolled his eyes, sighing. He and Jon had annoyingly similar taste in women. Whenever they went out to a bar, they would inevitably zero in on the same girl._

"_What's the matter?" Paige nudged him in the side._

"_Nothing," he shook his head. Avery was giggling and Jon was leaning close to her. Then, she looked over his shoulder and her eyes met Colby's. He felt a little weird for staring but then she smiled at him, getting down from the stool._

Yes!_ He internally celebrated._

_Avery and Jon talked for a few more seconds but then Avery started walking their way. Jon watched after her looking charmed until he spotted Colby. He knew his friend was thinking the same thing he had._

_Avery held her arms open as she rushed toward them._

_Colby was surprised but more than willing to accept a hug._

"_Crumpet!" Avery beamed._

"_Cupcake!" Paige rushed over, jumping on her and wrapping her legs around her._

_Colby sighed again. Apparently Jon wasn't the only one he'd have to compete with for Avery's attention._

* * *

_1 Week Later…_

_ Avery pushed the last box into the van, wiping her hands off on her shorts. She was dead tired and the day had barely started. This had certainly been a whirlwind of a week. Her meeting with the creative team had gone relatively well. They _had_ pitched a gimmick that was eerily similar to Avery Mae but she swiftly shot it down. She explained to them that yes, she was from Nashville and she was proud of it, but she didn't want to play some country bumpkin. It didn't make any sense and she wouldn't be any good at it. No one would benefit from that. Then they'd suggested something even more ridiculous. It was basically a parody of Kesha and Avery actually laughed out loud at it. Paul Levesque joined the meeting about halfway through and it got much better when he was there. He felt that the best thing to do would be to play up who Avery was. With her tattoos and platinum hair, she was alternative but not Gothic. She expressed that she didn't want to walk around looking like Hot Topic threw up on her and he promised not to go that far. Just because she wasn't exactly cookie cutter didn't mean she wasn't stylish and girly. She was sexy, not a tomboy. They decided to stick with her real first name and go with Ryan as a last name. close enough to the name people would recognize but different enough that the company would own it. She left the meeting feeling satisfied. They got some things they wanted and she got some things she did. She called Kevin after and he sounded proud. He wouldn't come right out and say it but she could tell._

_After the meeting, she went to the gym with Paige and Avery explained her search for a roommate, hoping Paige might know someone. It turned out that Paige's roommate was leaving which meant that in about a week she would have no furniture and an extra room. She asked Avery to move in and Avery happily accepted. They'd gone shopping for new furniture over the last few days and now it was moving day._

_She pulled out her phone to call Paige and let her know she was on her way but before she could, a text came through. It was from Colby._

**Heard we're gonna be neighbors soon. Let me know if you need to borrow a cup of sugar.**

_She didn't know that he lived in the same complex as Paige but she didn't mind. She enjoyed his company a lot; at least she had so far. He seemed like a great guy. If she wasn't so focused on work she would probably consider exploring that a little further but she had made a promise to herself: she wouldn't even look twice at a guy until her career was on track. Still, he was hot. And then there was Jon. She'd already looked twice at Jon. She couldn't help herself. She hadn't been joking when she said that Kevin warned her about him. The problem was that Avery loved doing things that she wasn't supposed to. And she had a feeling that Jon could definitely make breaking the rules worth the trouble. _

* * *

**I'm sitting by your pool. Never noticed what a great view you have.**

_Colby frowned as he read the text from Jon. They'd hung out at his pool like a hundred times, several other NXT talents lived in the same complex, he couldn't imagine that today it looked any different. Still, he went into his bedroom and put on a t-shirt before grabbing his keys and heading downstairs. He spotted Jon laying on a lounge chair, holding a newspaper._

"_What are you up to?" Colby asked, sitting beside him._

"_Can't I just be enjoying the sunshine and reading the paper?" Jon gave him an indignant look._

"_The paper that you're holding upside down?" Colby smirked._

"_Fine, you caught me," Jon put the paper down. "New Girl is moving in with Paige today and I am thoroughly enjoying watching."_

_Colby followed Jon's gaze to the back gate, which was propped open. Avery walked through it, carrying a large box. Paige wasn't far behind her._

"_Look at that ass," Jon marveled as Avery started to walk up the stairs._

"_You're a pig, man," Colby laughed. _

_He had a point though. Avery did have a perfect ass. _

"_Why exactly are you sitting here watching, like a creep, instead of offering to help?" Colby questioned._

"_I don't mind being called a creep," Jon shrugged. "It's better than ending up a doormat in the friend zone like you will."_

"_Hey, who says I'm gonna be a door mat?" Colby asked. "There's nothing wrong with being a nice guy. It's better than-"_

"_Hey!"_

_Colby was interrupted by Avery who had changed course and was making her way toward them after putting down the box she was carrying. She was wearing a loose, thin gray tank top and he could see her black bra underneath. Her long, toned legs stretched from a pair of dark red shorts. When she reached them, she pushed her black Ray-Bans up, holding her hair away from her face. Her hazel eyes were trained on Jon._

"_Are you just planning on sitting there all day like an asshole while I move heavy boxes?" she asked._

"_I was planning on sitting here until you brought that pretty smile my way," Jon sat up._

_She tried to hide her smile by biting her bottom lip but it was clear that she was amused._

"_Come on," she held a hand out to Jon. "Get off your ass and come help me. I'll even pay you in beer."_

"_It's gonna cost you a lot of beer, sweetheart," he took her hand, allowing her to pull him up. He stood close to her, smiling down at her._

_Colby felt like he was intruding on an intimate moment. He was pretty sure Jon was right about that 'friend zone' thing. He could practically see the sparks flying between the two of them._

"_Colby, you can come too," she looked over at him, as though she read his mind. "I have plenty of beer and we could use the help."_

"_Sure," he got up, shrugging. "Why not?"_

* * *

"_Woman, what possessed you to buy a bed with so many parts?"_

_Avery laughed from her spot on the floor while John stood, trying to read the IKEA directions for her new bed._

"_I just got the one I could afford," she explained, setting down her beer. "I didn't really care how many parts were involved."_

"_Probably because you were planning on roping some poor dope into putting it together for you," he smirked._

"_I wouldn't say I was planning it," she said. "But if a poor dope volunteers, who am I to say no?"_

"_You're a sneaky woman," he pointed at her._

"_Oh come on, it can't be that bad," she got up, stepping over some of the pieces and taking the directions from him. She held them out in front of her, squinting. "Is this picture upside down or am I holding this upside down?"_  
_"Not that bad, huh?" Jon stood behind her, resting his chin on her shoulder. "Should I just leave and let you handle this yourself?"_

"_This makes very little sense," she flipped through the pages. "Maybe this is the wrong book."_

"_Okay, Avery, that's enough, you can cut the charade," he took the manual away, turning her around. "You got me into your bedroom. Mission accomplished."_

_Avery laughed hard, leaning her forehead against his shoulder. She wasn't sure she _wanted_ to like Jon but she couldn't seem to help it. He was so cocky but he'd been making her laugh all day. He had a dry sense of humor, a lot like hers. And he was sexy in a reckless, haphazard sort of way. All of those things combined made him like kryptonite for her._

"_You're a crazy person," she looked up at him._

"_Yeah but I think you like that about me," he put an arm around her. His hand fell to the small of her back naturally, as though it had been there a thousand times._

"_I might," she shrugged. "I'll like you better if I get to sleep in a real bed tonight."_

"_You can just come to my place," he offered. "I have a very nice bed. It's already put together and everything."_

"_I bet you have a full size bed with no headboard," she smirked, trying not to spend too much time imagining what it would be like to be in his bed. "You seem like the type to live like a frat boy."_

"_You'll never know until you come over," he smiled._

"_Well then I guess I'll never know," she smiled sweetly._

"_Pizza's here!" Paige called loudly from the living room._

"_You heard the lady," she smiled up at him. "The pizza's here."_

_She moved toward the door but he caught her hand, pulling her back. She looked up at him and his gaze traveled from her lips to her eyes. He touched the side of her face, his thumb brushing over her cheekbone. When he finally kissed her, she felt all the way down to her toes. A moan escaped her and her lips parted, allowing his tongue inside. He was forceful and smooth at the same time. His hand clenched in her hair at the nape of her neck and her breathing hitched. She grabbed the front of his shirt, biting his bottom lip. He growled, slowly pulling away from her. She looked up at him breathlessly and he smiled._

_Avery's door opened and Paige poked her head inside, "You two need to hurry up. Colby won't eat any of the pizza and I feel like a fat cow eating it alone."_

"_Be right there," she said, tearing her eyes away from Jon's. She had a feeling those blue eyes were going to get her into a lot of trouble._


	2. The End

_**The End…**_

"_Is this mine or yours?"_

_Avery looked up from her makeup mirror to see Paige holding up a red pencil skirt._

_She thought about it for a moment before shrugging, "No clue. Wear it if you want."_

_Whenever they were on the road, Avery and Paige were always getting their clothes mixed into each other's bags, largely because Paige was known to throw her things all over the room. For a while, the problem was solved when Avery was rooming with Jon but, once again, they were fighting so she and Paige were bunking together._

_Paige tossed the skirt onto her bed and walked over, sitting on Avery's lap, putting her arms around her neck._

_Avery laughed in spite of her sour mood. Paige was especially intrusive when she was trying to be comforting. Personal space didn't exist with her._

"_You know we don't have to go to this party," Paige said in a soft tone. "We can just go out, you and me, have a girls' night, and get fucked up."_

_Avery sighed, "We have to go. I promised Jon I would."_

"_Was this before or after World War 3?" Paige questioned._

_Paige's aggravated tone was all too familiar to Avery at this point. She was getting fed up with Jon and Avery and their drama. Avery couldn't blame her friend. Whenever they got into it, Paige was the first person she went to. Paige was there for every stage of Avery's anger: drinking, crying, yelling, she'd seen it all. _

_Avery never thought she would be one of those people in an on again off again relationship, always letting a fight about something little and stupid escalate into an epic shouting match. But that was what her relationship with Jon had devolved into. Their issues had issues. The most recent fight was about her friendship with Claudio Castagnoli. Jon was convinced that Claudio was trying to sleep with her and when Avery denied it and called him crazy, he decided that she was cheating on him. The accusation infuriated Avery and she'd screamed her head off at him before grabbing her bags and storming off to Paige's room. They didn't speak at all over the weekend and now it was Sunday night, they were in Vegas for Raw the following night, and instead of staying at Jon's apartment, she was in a hotel with everyone else._

"_After," Avery answered. "He's been texting me all day saying he wants to see me and that we have to work this out."_

"_Isn't it exhausting with one of you always apologizing?" Paige asked, getting up. "It makes me dizzy and I'm not even in it."_

_Avery ran her hands through her hair, sighing deeply. It _was_ exhausting. But it hadn't always been this way. And that was why she put up with it. The good times were _so_ good. Jon was capable of making her happier than she'd ever been in her entire life. Unfortunately, he could also make her murderously angry. He pushed buttons she didn't even know she had. And they were both so volatile. They were quick-tempered and had vicious tongues when they were angry. Neither of them was very good at apologizing. Their biggest problem, though, was that they couldn't seem to stay away from each other._

_ The first time they broke up was when Jon, Colby, and Joe got called up to the main roster as The Shield. Jon claimed he didn't want to do a long distance thing and though Avery was upset, she accepted it. But they never actually stopped talking. They still texted and called each other all of the time and when he was home they still saw each other. The breakup only lasted a month before Jon showed up backstage at an NXT taping and told her that he made a mistake. She took him back without a second thought._

_ The second time it was Avery who ended things. As The Shield got bigger and bigger, Jon's ego began to grow in kind. Avery grew suspicious that he'd developed a wandering eye, though she couldn't prove anything. Then, she heard him talking to Colby and Joe one night when he thought she was asleep. They were all sitting in his living room, drinking beers and he said that he was beginning to question his decision to be 'tied down to one person'. The next day Avery called him on it and he didn't take it back so she told him it was over and walked out. She had to end things emphatically: storming off, slamming doors, hanging up the phone. She liked to get the last word. That time they were broken up almost 3 weeks. Jon never really accepted it. The whole time they were apart he was trying to win her back. He sent her flowers, called her every day, showed up on she and Paige's doorstep practically every time he had a day off. He was back to the old Jon, he made her smile big, goofy smiles, and she was hooked again. And things were pretty good for a while. Until now. Now, she was one week away from making her main roster debut, she was the NXT Women's Champion, and yet all she could focus on was Jon._

"_At least promise me that we'll have fun tonight," Paige requested. "And if drama starts, you just come get me and we leave."_

"_Promise," Avery crossed her finger over her heart. "This is gonna be a good night."_

* * *

"_Think we got enough booze?" Jon brought in the last crate, setting it down on the kitchen counter._

"_The party's for both of us, that means we have to double everything," Joe shrugged._

_Since Joe and Colby's birthdays were so close together, Jon had insisted on having a get together at his place. The company usually frowned upon them going out partying the night before a show, especially in Vegas. Fortunately, Jon had plenty of room._

_He surveyed the apartment, knowing people would start showing up soon. He was pretty sure he'd gotten anything breakable out of sight, he just wanted to do a final sweep._

"_Should we take these down?" Joe asked, pointing to the pictures held to refrigerator by magnets. Avery had put them there. He always told her it was silly but he had to admit, he didn't mind them. His favorite was from the night she won her first title in NXT. He laughed, thinking of how much she hated the picture. She had dyed her hair a few weeks earlier in a fit of rebellion because she was told she couldn't. It was lavender and she decided a week after her title win that she absolutely hated it and changed it back to white. He loved looking at it despite her protests. She was sweaty and smiling from ear to ear, her eyes filled with tears as she looked down at her newly won title and Jon was next to her, his arm holding her tight to his side, looking at her with pride. That was a great night for them. He hoped they would have many more of those._

"_Leave this one," he pointed. "Put the rest of them in the drawer by the sink, I'll put them back up tomorrow."_

"_You sure she's even coming?" Joe questioned._

"_She's coming," Jon nodded confidently. Avery promised and she _never_ broke a promise. He just hoped that after the party they could talk and just get past all the bullshit. He was tired of fighting with her. Some people would take that as a sign that they needed to be over but he just couldn't let go of the idea that what they had was special. They just needed to get their shit together._

* * *

_Avery walked closely behind Paige through the open door to Jon's apartment. The place was packed with people. She smiled and waved at anyone she knew as they made their way toward the kitchen. They both wanted to get a drink right away._

_The birthday boys were both doing shots with Aaron Haddad. _

"_Hey!" Joe smiled when he saw her._

"_Hello," she walked over, giving him a hug. "Happy birthday."_

"_Thank you," he patted her on the head. "Do a shot with me A-Town."_

"_Give me a few minutes, let me get a beer first," she laughed. She and Joe were friendly but he was never _this_ excited to see her. He was definitely three sheets to the wind._

_Colby finished talking with Aaron and then turned, giving her a big, warm smile, "You came."_

"_Of course I did," she hugged him. She remembered her first days with the company. Colby was one of the first friends she made. But the closer she got to Jon, the more he became her boyfriend's friend. She'd always wished they'd become better friends on their own._

"_Happy birthday," she smiled up at him. "You having fun?"_

"_I'm having a great time," he nodded. His eyes drifted to something behind her and Avery turned, seeing Jon walk into the kitchen. When he saw Avery, he made a beeline for her, all but shoving people out of the way to get to her. When he reached her, he put down his beer, grabbing her face with both hands and kissing her. She squeaked, caught off guard but she quickly melted into the kiss, no longer conscious of anything around them. Jon's kiss always had a way of making her forget everything but the two of them. He tasted like bourbon and the familiar scent of his aftershave made her head spin._

_Someone whistled loudly behind them and one of Jon's hands moved away from her face. Avery didn't have to see it to know he was flipping off whoever made the noise. Reluctantly, she pulled her lips away from his. He rested his forehead against hers, looking her in the eye, "I fuckin' missed you."_

_She smiled at him, unsure of what to say. On her way to the party, she was steeling her reserve. She was going to keep Jon at arm's length until they could talk, she was not going to fall into their normal pattern but when he kissed her like that…she had no defense for it. She was reminded of all of the best things about them and she didn't want to think about fighting anymore._

"_Get a room," Joe laughed, throwing a balled up napkin at them._

"_Gladly," Jon pulled Avery against him. "You guys enjoy the party. We'll see you later."_

"_Stop," she laughed, slipping out of his grasp, though she was definitely tempted. "There are birthdays to be celebrated tonight, damn it."_

"_Avery, you always have your priorities straight," Colby laughed, mixing drinks._

"_I do what I can," she shrugged._

"_You need a drink," Jon said, putting his arm around her again._

"_Already on it," Colby handed out cups to Avery and Paige._

"_I missed you too Avery," Aaron piped up._

"_Me too A-Town," Joe held up a cup._

_Avery rolled her eyes, "Thanks guys."_

"_Let's have a toast to my girl," Jon looped his arm around Avery's neck, pulling her in close._

"_It's not my birthday," she laughed, looking over at Paige who was already looking apprehensive._

"_So what?" Jon shrugged. "It's my house. And everyone here loves you. Right Paige?"_

"_She's the greatest girl I know," Paige gave him an edgy smile, holding up her cup._

_Avery slid her hand in the back pocket of Jon's jeans. It was a sure fire way to let him know he needed to dial it down. He knew that Paige wasn't his biggest fan recently and most of the time he brushed it off but he seemed to be a little keyed up._

_He looked down at her and nodded before kissing the side of her head, right above her ear._

"_I'm sorry," he whispered to her. "I'm just really glad you're here."_

"_Me too," she leaned into him. "Let's try to have fun tonight, okay?"_

* * *

_Jon poured himself another drink, looking around the apartment. The party was in full swing. There was music playing, everyone seemed to be having a great time. He was beginning to get a little tipsy himself so this would probably be his last drink for a while. He wanted to have his wits about him in case anyone got too rowdy. And he wanted to be coherent when he and Avery finally got some time alone. He wished things could just get back to the way they were when they first met. They were enamored with each other, couldn't get enough. They didn't fight about anything. Things had been tougher with him on the road. He missed her more than he'd ever missed anyone. He felt things for her that he'd never felt and he didn't quite know how to handle it. He thought about her all the time. He was jealous of anyone who got to spend more time with her than he did. He felt like an idiot. But he knew that they could fix things now that she was finally coming up to the main roster. They could get back to how things were if they worked at it._

_He looked around for her and found her standing with CJ Perry and Luke Harper. She caught him looking and blew a kiss at him. He raised his cup, winking at her. He was so busy looking at her, he didn't notice that a few more people came into the apartment. At least, he didn't notice until someone blocked his view of Avery. In fact, not only did he block his view, he grabbed Avery, pulling her into a tight hug, lifting her feet off the ground with ease._

_Claudo fucking Castagnoli._

* * *

_Avery was about to excuse herself to go talk to Jon when Claudio showed up. _

"_Hey," she smiled._

"_I'm sorry I'm late," he said. "But now the party can truly begin."_

_She couldn't help but giggle. Sometimes things just sounded so much more adorable in his accent._

_He hugged her tightly and she laughed at first, happy to see her good friend. Until he lifted her up and she looked over his shoulder at her boyfriend._

Fuck

_To say that Jon looked angry was an understatement. Luke and CJ must have seen it to because they both got out of sight quickly._

_Claudio put her down, "What's wrong?"_

_She nodded in Jon's direction and Claudio rolled his eyes, sighing, "He still hasn't let this go?"_

_She shook her head, "I should go handle that."_

_She started off toward him but Claudio gently caught her arm, "Avery wait."_

"_Yeah?"_

"_If he doesn't trust you..what's the point?" he asked her sincerely. "When he acts like this, he's calling you a liar."_

"_He just doesn't like that you and I are close," Avery tucked her hair behind her ears._

"_So what do you do then? Stop being my friend because your boyfriend can't take you on your word?" he asked._

"_No," she shook her head. "Of course not."_

"_Then what?" he asked._

_She rubbed her forehead, growing frustrated. She appreciated Claudio's concern but she didn't want to have this conversation with him again. He'd asked her that very question before and her answer was the same. What she had with Jon was special. He was important to her. She couldn't just give up._

"_I know I'm being pushy but I worry about you," he said, touching her arm. "I worry about your happiness."_

"_I know and you're a great friend but I need to go talk to him," she pulled her arm away, working her way toward him. He was still standing in the kitchen but instead of drinking out of a red cup, he was drinking straight out of a bottle of Maker's Mark._

"_I'm sorry," she said, approaching him with her hands up like he was some sort of wild animal._

"_Sorry about what?" he smirked at her. "Your other boyfriend showing up at my house?"_

"_I_ told _you it's not like that."_

"_What the hell is he doing here?" Jon asked, putting down his bottle._

"_I invited him," she admitted._

"_Is this a _joke_?" he stared at her. "Could you not decide which one of us you wanted tonight?"_

_She looked around, hoping that no one else was listening. Those hopes were dashed when she saw several sets of eyes on them._

"_I invited him like a week ago," Avery explained. "I forgot to tell him that you were being a fucking crazy person so he probably shouldn't come."_

"_So now I'm crazy?" he laughed._

"_I said I was sorry," she reminded him. "I don't know what else you want."_

"_I want that guy out of my god damn house," he pointed._

"_What is wrong with you?" she asked. "You and Claudio are _friends_."_

"_Oh yeah?" he asked. "Is he my friend when he's trying to fuck you?"_

"_Alright, that's enough," Paige came over, grabbing Avery's arm. "That's enough."_

"_Come on man," Joe grabbed Jon's shoulders, turning him away from Avery. She moved to follow as they headed away from her but Paige held on to her._

"_Just let him cool off," Colby advised, standing in front of her. "You know how he is. It'll be okay."_

* * *

_Colby watched Avery as she finished a bottle of water. It had been about an hour since she and Jon fought. Paige had tried her best to convince Avery to leave but she stubbornly insisted on staying. She wanted to talk to Jon once he calmed down. Colby wasn't sure that was such a good idea but he knew better than to try and change her mind. Surprisingly, the party was still in full swing. The booze was still flowing freely. Joe and Luke were playing Jon's Xbox, there were people dancing, doing shots. A few of Jon's neighbors had come up. Colby didn't know them very well but they seemed to be fitting in just fine, one of them was flirting heavily with Paige._

_Colby walked over to Avery, resting his elbows on the island, "Some party, huh?"_

"_I'm sorry about earlier," she smiled sheepishly. "I hate being that couple."_

"_You don't need to apologize," he assured her._

"_I disagree," she sighed. "It's your birthday party. You should be getting drunk not coming over to check on me."_

"_I can do both," he said, popping the top off of a beer bottle._

_She laughed, "That's true."_

"_That's why they call me the architect," he tapped his forehead._

"_I should go find him. I gave him some time. We need to talk."_

"_Last time I saw him, he came in here and grabbed that Maker's bottle."_

"_Oh joy," she rolled her eyes. "Well, drunk or not, I'm gonna go find him."_

_He looked down and she nudged his shoulder, "What? You don't think I should talk to him?"_

"_What I think doesn't matter," he shook his head. "Just be prepared in case he's not ready to talk."_

"_I'm always prepared," she patted him on the shoulder. She was a little heavy handed, probably the result of a healthy buzz. She walked away and Colby took a deep breath before following after her. He just had a bad feeling. He didn't want to eavesdrop but he wanted to be nearby in case things went awry._

"_What the fuck?!"_

_Colby sighed deeply, "That was fast."_

* * *

_Avery stood in Jon's bedroom doorway, her skin burning hot with rage. She had come to try and work things out and there he was, sitting at the edge of his bed, whiskey in hand, with some random woman's head in his lap._

"_What the fuck?!" she yelled._

_They scrambled apart at the sound of her voice. Jon stood, pulling up his pants, swaying in his drunkenness. The redhead, who Avery now recognized as one of his neighbors, wiped her hand across her mouth._

"_Calm down," Jon waved a hand in her direction._

"_Calm down?" she walked over to him, snatching the whiskey bottle out of his hand. "Calm down?!"_

_The redhead giggled and Avery whirled around, "Get the fuck out."_

_The stranger looked over at Jon, unsure, "Jon..do you want-"_

"_Don't talk to him!" Avery yelled. "I told you to get the fuck out! Get out!"_

"_I don't have to listen to you!"_

_Avery saw nothing but red when this woman had the nerve to yell at her. Without thinking, she threw the bottle in her direction, narrowly missing her. It slammed against the wall, shattering into pieces._

"_Hey! Hey! Hey!" Colby ran into the room grabbing Avery around the waist and yanking her away. "What the hell is going on in here?"_

"_She just tried to assault me!"_

"_Because I just found you blowing my boyfriend bitch!" Avery shouted, her voice cracking._

"_You need to get out," Colby told the woman._

_She looked over to Jon but he simply shrugged. Once she left, Colby let Avery go._

"_What the fuck is wrong with you?" Avery stared at Jon, tears stinging her eyes._

"_I don't see what the problem is Avery," he shrugged, his words slurring together. "You practically had your legs wrapped around Claudio earlier. I thought maybe we were trying out an open relationship."_

"_What the hell are you talking about?" she asked. "I _hugged_ him. I didn't fuck him."_

"_This time," Jon mumbled._

"_Never!" she yelled, getting in his face, poking him in the chest as she spoke. "I never did _anything_ with him or anyone else! You are not gonna try to put this on me!"_

"_Why not Avery?" he asked. "Why shouldn't I? We just have a fight about the guy and then you invite him to my house!"_

"_That doesn't matter!" she yelled at the top of her lungs. "You were about to have sex with some girl because what? Because I hugged my friend. Fuck you!"_

"_Stop fucking yelling at me!" he shouted back, pointing at her. "You are not innocent here Avery."_

"_You're full of shit," she grabbed his wrist, keeping his finger out of her face. He yanked his hand away and Avery felt herself stumble backward, bumping into Colby._

"_Alright, that's enough," Colby planted himself between them, blocking Avery with his back. He pointed in Jon's face, "You're going too far, you need to calm down."_

"_Why? Because _you_ said so?" Jon glared. "This is none of your damn business. Why don't you just get out of here and let the adults talk?"_

_Avery ran her hands through her hair, blinking back tears as Jon and Colby argued. She couldn't believe this was happening. Not only had Jon cheated on her but he did it knowing she was just a few rooms away. He didn't even care enough to lock the door._

_He and Colby were shouting at each other and she looked toward the bedroom door, knowing someone would come soon if they didn't all quiet down. She had been embarrassed enough for one night, she didn't need anyone else knowing what was happening. Colby was in Jon's face and Jon shoved him away roughly._

"_Stop it!" she ducked under Colby's arm, standing between them. "Stop!"_

_They kept yelling around her and she had to put a hand on each of them, pushing them apart._

"_Avery, get out of the way," Colby warned._

"_What are you gonna do Col?" Jon laughed. "You gonna hit me? You don't want her to move. Because as soon as she does, I'm gonna kick your ass."_

"_No you're not," Avery glared at him._

"_You're gonna choose _him_ over me too?" Jon asked._

"_Why shouldn't I?" she asked. "Why would I defend you right now?"_

_Colby moved in front of her again, daring Jon with his eyes._

"_You're right, why would you?" Jon asked. "Why don't you both just get out of my house?"_

_Avery couldn't wrap her mind around what was happening. She'd just caught him cheating on her and he was treating her like she'd committed some kind of crime. The gravity of that hit her and she put a hand over her mouth, trying her best to choke back a sob._

_She failed to stop her crying and both men looked at her. _

_She turned, looking at up at Colby, "I need to get out of here."_

"_Yeah, so do I," he said, protectively guiding her away from Jon. "Come on."_

* * *

_Jon watched as Colby guided Avery out into the hall. He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to catch his breath. He was in a terrible cloud of anger and alcohol and he needed to get out of it but he couldn't. He was so angry at Avery but he hadn't meant for this to happen._

_Colby turned as they were exiting the room, glaring at him, "How the hell could you do that to her?"_

_He opened his mouth to respond but he couldn't. He didn't have an answer. He didn't have an excuse. He'd screwed up._

_Colby left and Jon followed, not knowing what else to do. His head was starting to clear a little and he couldn't let her leave this way._

"_Avery," he rushed after them. He managed to reach around Colby and grab her hand. He grabbed her more roughly than he meant to and she pulled away like he'd burned her. Colby turned on him, pushing him away._

"_Back off man," Colby pointed. "Leave her alone."_

_Jon fought the urge to push his friend back because he knew that he was just trying to protect Avery._

"_Avery, baby, just talk to me," he ran his hands over his hair. "Don't leave."_

"_She doesn't wanna talk to you," Colby said._

"_Col, you need to stay out of this, okay?" Jon tried to stay calm. "This is between me and her."_

"_There is nothing between you and me," Avery glared at him. He'd never seen so much anger in her eyes before. Before he could say anything else, she turned and stormed away._

* * *

_The Next Morning…_

_Jon was startled awake by the sound of the door finally opening. He scrambled up to his feet, brushing his hair out of his face, anxiously watching the door. He'd been waiting outside of the room for hours. He couldn't just sit and wait at home. He'd tried calling Avery countless times but she didn't answer. He'd called Paige but those calls went straight to voicemail and Colby had answered but claimed he didn't know where Avery was. He couldn't blame any of them for freezing him out. He'd made the biggest mistake of his life, he just needed to talk to Avery. He needed for her to know how sorry he was. He regretted every single moment of that night. He would do anything to take it back. He couldn't believe he'd been so stupid. He didn't know what he would do if she didn't believe him. She meant so much to him, he couldn't handle the idea that he'd ruined everything._

"_What are you doing here?"_

_Paige's eyes bore a hole through him. He was honestly surprised she didn't punch him on sight._

"_I need to talk to Avery," he said, making sure his voice was as calm and relaxed as possible. Paige had every right to be pissed at him and he didn't want her to think that he thought otherwise. "Please."_

"_She doesn't want to talk to you," Paige crossed her arms, glaring at him._

"_Paige, it's okay," Avery appeared behind her._

_Paige looked apprehensive but she stepped aside, "We're leaving for the airport in 20 minutes."_

"_Come in," Avery said, not quite meeting his gaze._

"_I'll be right outside," Paige said, pulling her suitcase out into the hall. Avery quietly shut the door._

"_I'm so sorry Avery," the words flooded from Jon the moment they were alone. "I'm an idiot. I fucked up but you know I didn't mean to hurt you, right?"_

_She sat down on the edge of the bed, looking down at her hands._

_He sat down beside her, reaching for her hand but she pulled it away, sliding away from him._

"_Jon," she finally looked at him, tears caught in her long lashes. "It's over."_

"_Avery," he shook his head. "Babe, I-"_

"_Stop," she shook her head. "You can't say that you didn't mean to hurt me. You _cheated_ on me, right under my nose. You obviously didn't care if I found out or not."_

_Jon looked down at the floor, ashamed. His neighbor, Rachel, had shown up after all of the drama with Claudio. She'd been trying to convince him to hook up with her from the moment he moved into the building but he was always faithful to Avery. Until he drank a whole bottle of whiskey and started on another. He'd gone into his room to try and cool off and she came in behind him. He wished he could say that he'd been drugged or that he confused her for Avery or something but he'd known exactly what he was doing. He was angry. He wanted to get back at Avery and at the time, hooking up with Rachel seemed like a great way to do it._

"_You and I have both messed up before," she sniffed. "We've said things we shouldn't have. We've been stubborn and stupid but I've never, _ever_ cheated on you. I would never do that to you."_

"_Avery-"_

"_I can't do it anymore," she shook her head. "I'm done. We're done."_

_He opened his mouth to speak but she stood up, picking up her purse and then grabbing the handle of her suitcase. _

"_I have to go," she said._

"_Can we please just talk about this?" he asked. "I'll do whatever-"_

"_There's nothing you can do," she shook her head. "I'll see you around."_

_Jon watched as she left. He wanted to run after her. He wanted to tell her that cheating on her was the biggest mistake he'd ever made and he would spend the rest of his life making it up to her if she would let him. He wanted to say a million things. But he knew it was no use. There was no going back. It was over._


	3. Anaconda

_October 2014…_

Avery Matthews was rudely awakened by the loud 'thunk' of her bedroom door being flung open. She yanked the covers over her head, eyes closed, knowing what was coming next. She hated being woken up. She hated it with a hot, fiery passion. If there was anyone who knew that fact, it was Paige, and yet…

"Good morning Cupcake!"

Avery felt the bed bounce as her friend jumped onto it, coming very close to crushing her hand.

"Get out of my house," Avery groaned from under the covers. She loved Paige like a sister. They had lived together for almost 2 years. Now, Avery had moved into a new place not far away and she was fairly certain Paige was under the impression that they still lived together, just in two different places.

Paige pulled the covers away from Avery's face, receiving an angry glare for her troubles.

"Don't be mad, I've been up for an hour," Paige informed her. "I let you sleep in."

"How sweet of you," Avery rolled her eyes, knowing she wasn't getting back to sleep any time soon. Paige was like a sugared up toddler about 70% of the time. She wasn't about to let Avery go back to bed. "Did you sleep here?"

"Of course, I wasn't gonna stumble back to my house," the dark haired Brit laughed.

There was an NXT special the night before, Paige and Avery attended together since they had the night off. After the show, a bunch of people went out to a bar but when the bar closed, Paige graciously invited everyone to Avery's for an impromptu party. Avery wasn't even sure when it ended. The last thing she remembered was playing quarters with Kevin Steen, Rami Sebei, and a bottle of Cazadores tequila and reminiscing about old days. After that, things got a bit hazy. Hopefully there weren't any more stragglers littered around her house.

"Is there any particular reason you haven't gone home?" Avery sat up, leaning her back against her headboard.

"I'm starving and there's no food at my house," Paige pouted. Avery had done the majority of their grocery shopping when they lived together.

"So you want to eat all of _my_ food?" Avery smirked.

"After you cook it," Paige nodded. "I was hoping an omelet. Maybe French toast. Whatever you want really, it's your house."

"Why does it feel like I'm raising you?" Avery laughed. She was only three years older but sometimes Paige made her feel like a mom.

"Because you've secretly always wanted a British orphan?" Paige gave her a cheeky smile. She cupped her hands together, giving Avery her best puppy dog eyes, "Please sir, may I have some more?"

Avery laughed, pushing her hands away. Paige flopped down on the bed beside her, holding her stomach.

The theme from 'Rugrats' rang through the room and Avery reached for her phone on the nightstand. When she picked it up, she saw a picture of Nikki Bella drinking out of a champagne bottle. Oddly enough, Nikki , someone she'd expected to hate, had become a very good friend since she started on the main roster. She'd actually dreaded dealing with the Bellas. She'd heard horror stories about them and their attitudes toward other Divas but on Avery's first day on the road, she met Nikki in the locker room and they clicked instantly. They'd been friends ever since.

"Yes?" Avery answered, her voice raspy.

"Morning boo!" Nikki said cheerfully. "Are you on your way?"

"On my way where?" Avery scratched her head. She looked at herself in the mirror. Her shoulder length, white hair had an 'Edward Scissorhands' vibe happening and she had eyeliner smudged around her eyes. Coupled with the giant Smackdown shirt that she was currently wearing backwards, she looked like quite the catch.

"To the performance center," Nikki answered. "You and Paige are supposed to meet me there in 20 minutes. I'm on my way now."

Avery smacked a hand on her forehead, covering the phone and whispering to Paige, "We're supposed to meet Nikki."

Paige's eyes went wide, her mouth forming a perfect 'O'.

"Avery, I can still hear you," Nikki sighed. "Get your asses in gear. You two are supposed to help me today."

"Okay, okay, okay," Avery rubbed her eyes. "We're coming now."

"Ask her to pick up some food," Paige whispered.

"No," Avery shooed her away. "We'll be there but we're gonna be late."

* * *

Randy Orton walked through the performance center, shoving his hands in his pockets. He was there to film some footage for a new DVD. He had arrived on time and much to his annoyance, the crew wasn't ready for him yet so he had some time to kill. As he walked around the practice rings, he saw that only one was occupied. He walked closer, watching as Nikki Bella tangled in the ring with the newest of the divas, Avery Matthews.

Nikki dropped to one knee in the middle of the ring and then Avery bounced off the ropes, stepping up onto Nikki's bent leg with her right foot and bringing her left down on the back of Nikki's head with an axe kick. She grabbed Nikki's feet, twisting them around and then bridging back into a Muta Lock. She modified the hold, grabbing Nikki under the arms and clasping her hands in front of Nikki's neck. Randy stepped close to the ring, watching as Avery arched her back, pulling Nikki up. Randy had seen the move many times before but he'd never seen it with that variation. Nikki was only in the hold for a few seconds before she started tapping on Avery's arm. Avery let go, rolling away and sitting on her heels.

"See, you could do that," Avery breathed, smoothing the top of her ponytail. "I mean, not the kick, the kick is mine but you can use that hold."

"I don't know why you think that," Nikki shook her head. "If I could bend like that I'd be a married woman."

"Nikki, you said you want to add a submission to your set," Avery laughed. "I think that's a good one."

"I think we need to go _simpler_," Nikki said. "You know, something I won't kill myself trying."  
"Fine, fine, we'll simplify," Avery sighed, lying on her back. She turned her head and her eyes met Randy's.

"Hi," she smiled, looking surprised at his presence.

"Hey Randy, what are you doing here?" Nikki smiled.

He was much more familiar with the brunette. He'd known her for years, though he wouldn't exactly call them friends either. He was never very good at having female friends.

"Killing some time," he shrugged. "I'm working on a new DVD project."

"You have like five DVDs and the Bellas don't have one," Nikki shook her head. "It's a travesty."

"You should talk to Vince about that," Randy smirked. "What are you guys doing?"

"Avery's trying to kill me," Nikki leaned on the top rope.

"Oh shut up," Avery got out of the ring, grabbing a water bottle. Randy couldn't resist looking her over. She was only standing a few feet away and she was wearing a sports bra and a pair of tight leggings. She had a fantastic ass.

"I'm helping her work on submissions," Avery said. She looked over at Randy and caught him staring. She smirked but didn't say anything, turning her eyes toward Nikki.

"Do you guys know each other?" Nikki smiled, pointing between the two of them.

"Nicole, you do know we work together, right?" Avery asked.

"You know what I mean," Nikki rolled her eyes. "Have you ever actually talked?"

Randy couldn't think of a time he'd ever actually spoken to the woman. He remembered hearing Paul talk about how pleased he was with her work in NXT but Randy hadn't really paid any attention to the developmental brand. He knew she'd come up to the main roster in January, he'd seen her around backstage but he didn't make a habit of watching divas matches.

"I don't think we have," Avery said. She turned to Randy, extending her hand, "Avery Matthews."

"Randy Orton," he smiled, shaking her hand. Normally when he was introduced to one of the new women they seemed at least a little star struck. He didn't sense that from her. She wasn't fazed by him at all. He wasn't entirely sure how to feel about that.

He realized he was still shaking her hand when Nikki cleared her throat above them. Randy let go, looking up at Nikki. She raised an eyebrow at him and he shrugged, "I'm gonna go see if they're ready for me. You ladies have fun. Don't work her too hard."

"She can handle more than she thinks," Avery said, climbing up onto the ring apron. She climbed slowly over the second rope and Randy smiled. He was going to choose to believe she did it for his benefit.

* * *

"Thank you," Avery nodded as the waitress brought mimosas for everyone and a large glass of ice water for Avery. When she walked away, Avery grabbed the glass, glaring at Nikki as she held it up to her cheek. When they were done working on submissions, they just started playing around in the ring, working on power moves and Nikki had walloped Avery right in the face with one of her forearms. She was immediately apologetic and Avery wasn't actually all that mad about it but it did hurt like hell.

"You know, that would scare me if I didn't know you," Nikki smiled, taking a sip of her mimosa.

"Ignore her," Paige advised, beginning to dig into her lunch. "She's been cranky all day."

"I have not been cranky," Avery argued.

"I beg to differ, babe," Paige shook her head. "What was the first thing you said to me this morning?"

"I told you to get out of my house," Avery shrugged. "And you woke me up. I was totally justified."

"What is up with you?" Nikki asked. "I heard you and Paige are about to get a huge push now that AJ got hurt. You should be thrilled."

AJ was injured at the Raw taping and they received word on Wednesday that she had a torn ACL and would be out for months. Since she was the Divas champion at the time of her injury, there was a bit of a scramble with creative as they tried to figure out what to do. Things were still subject to change as always but Paige and Avery had both been told they would be involved in an angle starting Monday.

"Okay one; I am not fucking cranky," Avery said. "And two; are you suggesting that I _celebrate_ AJ being hurt?"

"Of course not but..you know, carpe diem or whatever," Nikki shrugged.

"The point is, you've had a bug up your ass for days. What's wrong?" Paige asked.

Avery rolled her shoulders, looking up to the sky. They were beginning to drive her crazy.

"I got it!" Nikki clapped her hands together. "I know what it is."

Avery put down the ice water and rested her chin in her hand, "Do tell."

"_You_ need to get laid," the brunette pointed.

Paige laughed and Avery raised an eyebrow, "Where the hell did you get that impression?"

"Look how tense you are. With all that yoga and Pilates and shit you do, you're the most relaxed person I know. The last time I saw your shoulders up around your ears like this was right after you and-"

"Say that name and I'll show you cranky," Avery cut her off, knowing where that sentence was going.

"Point is, you look like you need to get some," Nicole explained, looking quite pleased with herself for solving the puzzle.

Nikki actually had something of a point. Avery still didn't think she'd been cranky but she was a little tense about the current lack of male company in her life. She wasn't the type that needed a man to define her or anything like that but she had needs that weren't being met at the moment. She'd never lacked for male companionship before the last few months and it did suck. She wasn't about to tell them that though.

"Wait, what about that bartender?" Paige asked.

"Instagram guy?" Nikki smiled.

"Nicole, I have told you 10 times that I knew him in high school. I didn't actually meet him on Instagram."

A classmate of Avery's from her hometown in Tennessee had commented on a picture of Avery and Paige on Instagram and they started texting soon after. They hung out a few times after that.

"Avery, you reconnected because he started talking to you on Instagram therefore he is now and will forever be _Instagram Guy_."

"Ooh, InstaGuy," Paige smiled.

"Genius," Nikki smiled. "That's his new name."

"He doesn't need a name because he isn't gonna be around," Avery laughed. "We broke it off. He said something about me being too busy or something."

"Are we not gonna talk about you eye-boning Randy Orton today?" Nikki asked, pushing her salad around with her fork.

"Don't say eye-boning," Avery made a face at her.

"When did this happen?" Paige looked intrigued.

"It didn't."

"When you were on the phone."

Avery and Nikki spoke at the same time and then Avery shook her head, "You are crazy."

"Why am I crazy?" Nikki asked. "He was checking you out, you were checking him out. Next stop: bone zone."

"You and Randy Orton?" Paige narrowed her eyes, surveying Avery, thinking deeply. She shrugged, "Yeah, I can see it."

Avery downed her mimosa quickly. She was going to need a buzz if they were going to keep this up.

"This is why you need to come to the party Saturday," Nikki said. "Plenty of eligible, successful men ripe for the picking. Maybe Randy will be there."

Nikki and Paige had been trying to convince Avery to attend a party being thrown by 'E!' for the cast of Total Divas for a few weeks but she wasn't interested.

"Still not going," Avery shook her head.

"I don't know why you keep fighting this," Nikki said. "You're a part of the cast now."

"No, I am not," Avery pointed at her. Avery had been approached with offers to join the cast since she was brought up to the main roster but she had declined. She didn't want to be a reality TV star. She felt the fans had enough access to her life. But with Paige signing on to do the show and her ever growing friendship with Nikki, Avery had been approached again but with a modified deal. She would not be an official part of the cast but she agreed to appear occasionally so that they didn't always have to shoot around her.

"I only agreed to appear because this one thinks she lives at my house," Avery jerked her thumb at Paige.

Truthfully, Paige had been a little nervous when she agreed to do the show and Avery had agreed to the deal to make her feel more comfortable. Knowing Avery would be there with her sometimes seemed to make her feel more confident in the decision.

"Come on, we haven't gotten to hang out very much lately," Nikki said.

"And I'd feel a lot better if you were there," Paige pouted.

"It's not a real party without you," Nikki joined in.

Paige batted her eyelashes, "We need you there."

Avery put her head down on the table, sighing deeply, "Fine, I'll go. Just stop pouting. It's too much."

* * *

_Saturday Night…_

"Who the hell decided it was a good idea to start a party by being screamed at and having your picture taken?"

Avery squeezed Paige's hand, trying to be encouraging, "Come on, we're almost done."

They posed for a few more pictures before heading inside.

"Rosa and Alicia are over there," Paige pointed.

"You head over, I'll get the drinks," Avery offered.

Paige gave her a kiss on the cheek before heading over to join the others.

When she reached the bar, she ordered a vodka soda for herself and red bull and vodka for Paige.

"I thought you weren't on this show."

She smiled, turning when she heard the voice of Colby Lopez.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing here?" she asked, wrapping her arms around her friend.

"Last minute decision," he hugged her back. "A couple of the guys wanted to come."

"A couple of the guys?" she raised a suspicious brow. "Which guys in particular?"

A brief flash of apprehension crossed Colby's face before he looked down at his drink.

"Lookin' for me sweetheart?"

Avery's body tensed at the raspy voice in her ear. Most people didn't have to deal with a physical manifestation of their life's biggest mistake on a daily basis. Avery was not one of those lucky people.

She felt a warm arm drape over her shoulders and she turned, looking up at 6'4" of her deepest regrets.

_Jonathan Good_

Her former boyfriend of 2 years and the current bane of her existence.

"Would you mind just giving me the rest of that vodka bottle?" she asked the bartender. "And any other vodka you may have on hand."

"Trying to black out tonight A-Town?" Jon asked, squeezing her shoulder. He smelled like beer and aftershave. Mostly beer.

Avery looked up at her ex with a sickeningly sweet smile, "Get your fucking arm off of me."

"Ooh, someone's feeling prickly today," he removed his arm.

She rolled her eyes, turning her back on him to fully turn her death stare on Colby. Sometimes she felt for him. On one side, he had Jon, one of his closest friends on Earth. On the other, he had Avery. They'd known each other for a long time but they'd only recently become close. In the last 5 or 6 months, she'd come to see him as one of her best friends. He was close with two people who detested each other and she knew from past experiences, that position sucked. Still, at this particular moment, she kind of wanted to rip out some of his hair; maybe just the blonde part, to make it less painful. She wasn't completely heartless.

"Thanks for the heads up Lopez," she said, taking the straw out of her drink and downing it in two huge gulps. The bartender had placed two more in front of her. It wasn't a whole bottle but it would do.

"What's the matter?" Jon piped up behind her. "You not happy to see me?"

"I am literally _never_ happy to see you," she refused to turn and face him again.

"I'm sorry about that," Colby shrugged. "I didn't think you were coming so I didn't think to warn you."

"Just keep him away from me."

"You have my word," Colby put his hand up.

"Thank you," she picked up the drinks, giving Colby a quick kiss on the cheek. "Enjoy the party."

"I miss you already!" Jon called after her.

Now she had a new regret. Her hands were full so she couldn't flip him off.

* * *

"Can I get another beer?" Jon asked, smiling as Avery walked away. He couldn't help it. Getting a rise out of Avery was like The Joker besting Batman. It practically gave him a high.

"Was that really necessary man?"

"Jesus, do you have to sneak up on me like that?" Jon looked over his shoulder at Joe. He loved his former Shield mate but he was almost annoyingly stealthy at times. Jon hadn't heard him coming at all, that deep voice had just assaulted his ear out of nowhere.

"My question still stands," Joe fixed a stern gaze on him.

"Torturing Avery isn't a necessity but it is my right," Jon raised his fresh beer.

"You really need to let it go," Joe shook his head disapprovingly.

Jon hated being told that. Sure, he held on some to anger but he was entitled to. She really screwed with his head and he couldn't understand why his own friends thought he should let her get away with it. The night their relationship ended was a terrible low point for him. Losing her had hurt him to the core. And then he'd found out the truth about her and Claudio. He'd never felt so stupid in his life.

"It's bad enough that this one's on her side," Jon jerked his thumb toward Colby, who rolled his eyes. "Am I losing you too?"

Colby rolled his eyes. Jon needled him a lot for bonding so closely with her but it wasn't just him. Jon and Avery had a lot of mutual friends, many of whom had taken her side. They hadn't cut him out but he knew that they put all of the blame on him.

"I'm always on your side," Joe said, always loyal. "I just think you should ease up."

"Come on, I'm not that bad," Jon insisted. "Most of the time, I steer clear of her. And every once in a while, I have a little fun."

* * *

Randy walked into the Total Divas party wondering how the hell he got sucked into this. He wasn't exactly looking forward to a night of celebrating the cast of a TV show that he'd never seen outside of the clips they played on Raw.

When he thought about it, he actually knew exactly how he was sucked in. It was all John Cena's fault. He and John had been trying recently to repair their friendship. Years ago, they were like brothers but jealousy, backstage politics coupled with relationship issues and their subsequent divorces had driven them apart. Recently, in a strange fit of maturity, Randy had extended an olive branch and asked John if they could try to get back to where they once were. Slowly but surely they were working on it. And one of the first things John had asked him to do was come to this stupid party. It wasn't like he'd turned into a wet blanket or anything; he just wasn't excited about this particular soiree. The company tried to get him to do Total Divas before, encouraging some fraternization between him and Jojo but he wasn't interested in her or being on a reality show. The reason why was definitely on display that night. There were cameras _everywhere_. No truly good party had so many devices recording your every move.

Randy nodded to a few people he knew on his way toward the back. John had texted to tell him they were at a table in the back corner. He found his friend, sitting with Nikki who was practically spilling out of a black and red dress. John looked about as excited as Randy was to be attending this thing. Randy briefly considered turning around but Nikki saw him and smiled, nudging John in the side. John looked up, waving him over. There would be no escaping now.

"I was starting to think you weren't gonna show," John laughed as Randy took a seat.

"How could I miss this?" Randy smirked.

"See, Randy wants to be here," Nikki laughed, playfully smacking John on the arm. "You can stop looking miserable now."

"I'm not miserable sweetheart, I'm just a little tired," John assured her. "It's been a long week."

"Well now that your friend is here, I can ditch you and your pouting," Nikki teased. She smiled, looking past Randy, waving enthusiastically.

Randy looked over his shoulder, smiling when he saw Avery Matthews coming toward them. He thought she looked good when he saw her at the performance center but she looked even better now. She wore a tight black dress with white flowers that had a low, square neckline and hugged every part of her. Her hair flowed in loose waves and his eyes were drawn to her lips by dark wine colored lipstick.

"Hey lady," Avery smiled when she reached the table. "I just requested your favorite song. They're gonna play it next."

"You're the best," Nikki smiled, finishing off her glass of champagne. She kissed John on the cheek, "I'm gonna go dance."

"Have fun," John laughed.

"You should watch this one on the dance floor Randy," Nikki pointed to Avery. "She really knows how to shake that thing."

Avery's hazel eyes nearly popped out of her head and Randy laughed, "Good to know."

Avery grabbed Nikki's hand, pulling her away from the booth and then pushing her ahead. She turned around, giving Randy an apologetic look. She twirled her finger around her ear and then pointed at Nikki before they disappeared into the crowd as Nicki Minaj's 'Anaconda' started playing.

Randy looked over at John, "Very subtle, your girlfriend."

"She's drunk," John shrugged. "But she's trying to be nice in her own way. She heard you and Carrie broke up."

Randy's ex's name was Cara but he didn't see a point in correcting John. They'd broken up because Cara couldn't stop complaining about his schedule. When they first met she thought his job was fun and exciting. Then, when she realized just how much time he spent away from home, she started trying to convince him that he should change his schedule to spend more time with her. When he realized that she couldn't handle his lifestyle anymore, he ended things. It wasn't fair to either of them to stay in a relationship that clearly wasn't going anywhere. He was done with relationships for a while. He was tired of disappointing someone.

"She introduced me and Avery at the performance center the other day," Randy finished his drink. He looked toward the dance floor and spotted Avery, Nikki, Paige, and CJ Perry dancing. "She asked if we'd ever talked."

"And I assume you hadn't?" John asked.

Randy shook his head, "All I really know about Avery is that she's Ambrose's girl."

That was certainly the reason that they'd never really talked. Randy and Jon Good had never liked each other. Randy found Jon to be cocky and obnoxious and from what he'd heard, the feelings were very mutual. Randy wasn't a huge fan of a lot of the younger crop of talent running around the locker room. They took that whole 'The Future Starts Now' tag line from NXT a little too seriously for his liking.

"_Ex_ girl," John corrected, signaling to the server that they needed more drinks. "They had a pretty rough breakup. She says he cheated. He says she cheated. They were on and off but this last time was for real."

"Why do you know so much about this?" Randy laughed.

"I listen when Nicole speaks," John shrugged. "Is that so surprising? Communication is key, you know?"

"Yeah I think I read that somewhere before," Randy nodded. "Might have been my divorce papers."

* * *

"Vodka soda and a glass of Veuve?"

"You're beautiful," Avery smiled at the bartender as he started making drinks for her and Nikki. When they were finished she picked up both and turned, holding Nikki's champagne just out of her reach, "You know, I shouldn't even give you this."

"Why? I didn't do anything," Nikki looked confused.

"Oh so that incredible weirdness that you pulled back there, with Randy Orton of all people, what was that?" Avery begrudgingly handed her the flute.

"That was me being a great wingwoman," Nikki answered proudly. "He was checking you out again."

"He was not checking me out," Avery laughed. "He was staring at us because _you_ were being a creep."

"How am I a creep? I was just trying to help."

Avery tilted her head, smiling, "I know that in your head that was helpful, but out here with the rest of us, it was just weird. Maybe don't try that again."

"I will stay out of it, fine, but promise me you'll think about it," Nikki requested.

"Think about what exactly?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Randy, stupid," the brunette poked Avery in the forehead. "I don't care what you say, he was checking you out."

Avery downed some more of her vodka, enjoying the slight sting in her throat.

"Listen; if I'm right, which I totally am by the way, would you be down?" Nikki questioned.

"No," Avery laughed.

Nikki gave her a dubious look.

"I'm serious, no," Avery shook her head.

"You expect me to believe that you don't find him attractive?"

"Of course I think he's attractive, I have eyes," Avery admitted. She'd drooled over Randy Orton just like plenty of other red blooded women. "But the last thing I need is to get involved with another person in this company. I've dated too many wrestlers. I have totally gotten past that stage of my life."

Nikki smirked, clearly unconvinced, "Whatever you say honey."


	4. Drives Me Crazy

_Montreal  
_

_Monday…_

Avery nearly bumped into a camera man as they filed out of the car. Paige was lucky she loved her because there was no other way she would put up with the invasive Total Divas cameras. They were woken up by the production crew that morning and cameras filmed Paige getting ready and talking to Foxy while Avery went to Colby's room to get another hour of sleep. Then, they had a dash cam in the car when they were driving to the arena, documenting their obnoxious sing along to a bunch of 80's ballads. Then, as soon as they got out of the car, they were swarmed by the crew to pick up filming at the arena. Avery couldn't for the life of her figure out why Paige had signed on to do this but if it was what her best friend wanted, she would just have to go with it. The large crowd of fans being held at bay by a security barricade quickly caught their attention. Both women made their way over and Avery smiled, "How long have you guys been out here? It's freezing."

There were varying answers but nothing less than 2 hours.

Canadian fans were always a favorite of Avery's. They'd always been very good to her and their love for the business reminded her of her own days as a wrestling fanatic; watching every tape and DVD she could find, attending every single show her grandparents would allow. Since they'd arrived earlier than they thought they would, they stayed outside signing autographs and posing for pictures until their hands started getting too cold. They allowed a last few snaps, and then headed inside, cameras following close behind them.

"What exactly are they filming?" Avery asked, confused. "We aren't even doing anything."

Paige shrugged, "They're just waiting for something to happen."

Fortunately, once they reached the locker room, the cameras backed off. Normally they were the first to arrive but Eva, Nattie, and Ariane had beat them there. Very brief hellos were exchanged. They weren't exactly friends. Nattie and Paige had a bit of a love hate relationship. They'd had several disagreements recently after a series of matches. And Avery and Eva weren't exactly the best of friends. Avery tried to be nice to the redhead for Nikki's sake but whenever Nikki wasn't around, Eva was usually giving her the stink eye. She had no idea why since they'd barely ever had a conversation but she didn't worry about it too much. Eva was rarely even on the road. They brought her to Raw to film for the E show and in instances like that night, when they needed all the women on deck.

"Knock, knock."

Avery looked over her shoulder at the door and her jaw dropped when she saw Ashley Flair, better known as Charlotte, standing in the doorway.

"Ash!" Avery rushed over, not even attempting to maintain her composure. She certainly hadn't expected to see the tall blonde but she was beyond thrilled. The two of them had developed a close friendship while working together in NXT. Avery had been the leader of a group called the BWA (Blondes with Attitude) with of Raquel Diaz and Charlotte for a few months. The group was popular but short lived after Raquel requested her release due to some personal issues. After their group was broken up, they were pitted against each other in a feud and they had a great time working against each other. Ashley often came to Avery for advice and Avery was happy to help such a gifted natural athlete and quick learner. It was easy work.

Ashley hugged her tightly, dropping her gym bag. Paige came over as well, smiling excitedly, "Please, please tell me this means what I think it means."

"I'm only here for the night," Ashley sighed. "I'm a surprise entrant in the battle royal. But trust me, I'm gonna make it count."

As the three friends caught up, and the rest of the divas roster started to trickle in, Avery began to feel like she was being watched. She looked over her shoulder and, surprise, surprise, Eva was staring daggers at them. She pulled her phone out of her pocket, pasting on a smile, "Hey Eva, would you mind taking a picture for us?"

If she was going to stare, she might as well make herself useful.

Eva's jaw clenched for a brief second but she flashed them a big smile, "Sure. Of course."

They all made goofy faces and Eva pretended she actually wanted to take the picture.

"No posting that please."

Avery recognized the voice of Mark Carano as Eva gave back her phone. She turned around, seeing Mark's ever present stern expression.

"We can't have Charlotte's appearance getting spoiled," he explained.

"I won't post it before the show, Scout's honor," she assured him.

"Thank you. Ladies, gather around please," he said, waiting until he had everyone's attention. "As you're all aware, tonight we're going to begin the new angle for the Divas Championship starting with a Battle Royal tonight in the second hour of the show. We just released a video with Stephanie McMahon announcing that the title has been vacated and setting up the match. I have a list here of the order of entry and elimination. Avery and Paige, you're the last two. Someone will come in shortly to work out some of the spots with you."

Avery couldn't help her smile as Mark explained how the match was set to finish. She could see that Paige was having the same issue.

"That's it for the Battle Royal," Mark finished. "Avery, you need to be dressed and done with makeup in an hour. We need you on meet and greet duty with Claudio and Kofi."

"Will do," Avery nodded.

"Okay ladies, have a great show."

* * *

Jon walked down the hall toward the meet and greet area in no particular rush. He'd been asked at the last minute to step in for Kofi who was running late at some TV interview. He didn't even know who else would be with him but he figured it would be Nattie and one of the other Total Divas girls. He was never a big fan of meet and greets. It wasn't like he didn't like being around the fans, he just didn't like being in such an artificial environment. People paid extra for their tickets and thought it gave them the right to do and say anything they wanted. Technically, it did, because the talent had to stand there, smile, take pictures and sign autographs. He took a deep breath, trying to get himself in the right headspace. His attempt was shot to hell when he saw Avery and Claudio waiting in the hall outside the room he was about to head into.

"Fuck," his head dropped back and he closed his eyes. He should've known something was up when Carano didn't tell him who else was working. It was common knowledge that he wasn't on good terms with either of them. He ran a hand over his face and opened his eyes, hoping that they'd been a hallucination. No such luck. There they were: the Swiss Superman and the Rebel Diva. The sight of them together drove him up the wall. He could barely remember it now but at one point he'd actually considered Claudio a friend. Now, he saw him as nothing but a snake.

This wasn't the first time he'd had the misfortune of stumbling upon them together. The memory of that first time would be forever burned into his brain.

_Jon shoved his hands into his pockets, walking through the production area. He had been searching for Avery and he finally got Ariane to tell him where she'd last seen her. He'd tried asking Paige first but that hadn't gone very well._

_He just needed to talk to her. It had been a month since that stupid party. He was trying his best to give her time and space but he hated it. He missed her like crazy. He missed the sound of her laugh. He missed the smell of her hair. He missed just knowing that she was his. She hadn't even looked at him since that next morning. 4 weeks of complete and total silence. He was ready to pull his hair out. The night she made her Raw debut was the worst. He was so happy for her and so proud. He was standing near the Gorilla position when she came backstage and she walked right past him like he didn't even exist. He knew that this was his fault. He brought this on himself. Part of his brain was able to understand that he'd screwed up too badly this time, that he'd never get her back. But there was another part of him that just couldn't let go of her. If he could just get her alone for a moment, maybe he could make her see that he was willing to do whatever it took to get her back. He saw her go around a corner and he followed. She was heading to a more secluded part of the arena. Knowing her, she was trying to get a few minutes alone to center herself before the show but he couldn't wait. He took a deep breath and rolled his shoulders then looked around the corner._

_She wasn't alone._

_Fucking Claudio Castagnoli was with her. They were talking quietly and she smirked at something he said. He continued to talk and she rolled her eyes, beginning to turn away from him. Jon thought she was going to catch him snooping but before she could turn enough to see him, Claudio had wrapped an arm around her waist, lifting her from her feet, eliciting a fit of giggles. She tried to scramble away, bicycling her legs but he held her with ease, saying something very close to her ear. He finally put her down and she turned around, leaning against the wall. Claudio rested his hand on the wall above her head, smiling down at her._

_Jon wanted to stop it. He wanted to run down the hall and pull that son of a bitch away from Avery but then it happened. Claudio lowered his head and kissed her. Jon thought about yelling or punching something but his feet seemed to be cemented to the ground. And then Claudio pulled away and Jon studied Avery's face. She laughed and toyed with the bottom of his t-shirt. The other man spoke and she looked up at him, batting her eyelashes in that way that had mesmerized Jon when he first met her. This clearly wasn't the first time they'd kissed. He'd always been suspicious of her friendship with Claudio. He was always making excuses to touch her. He hugged her every time they saw each other and Jon always had to watch where he put the other man put his hands. They texted each other all the time. There were so many signs. And those times that he'd looked Avery in the eye and asked her to tell him the truth, she always called him crazy. She said there was _nothing_ going on. Now he knew that she was lying._

Jon shook away the thought watching as Avery and Claudio laughed together. He hated how damn good she always looked. There should be some sort of rule that cheating ex-girlfriends no longer appear to be attractive. He should only see her as some terrible dinosaur-monster thing like in some weird sci-fi movie. But no, he saw her as she was, fucking perfect. She was annoyingly beautiful.

She was dressed for the show already in her normal match gear. She always wore a pair of ridiculously short denim shorts and a bustier style top, this one was plaid and stopped just under her bra, revealing all of her flat stomach.

Something Claudio said caused her to feign offense and then playfully slap him on the arm. He reached out in retaliation, tickling her on the side. Avery was unreasonably ticklish and always had been. As soon as Claudio touched her ribcage, she darted away from him, heading straight toward Jon. He tried to step out of the way but he wasn't fast enough and she knocked right into him, almost falling over. Jon caught her like a dancer dipping his partner. She looked like she was going to apologize until she realized who had caught her.

She rolled her eyes, "Get off of me."

"Gladly," he said, letting go, allowing her ass to hit the floor.

Claudio rushed over, asking if she was alright.

She got back to her feet quickly. She looked annoyed but also like she knew she had it coming, glaring at him as she brushed off the back of her shorts, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"They asked me to bring a little star power to this thing," he shrugged.

"You sure you aren't being punished for showing up late again?" she crossed her arms, looking smug.

"You keepin' tabs on me, Matthews?" he smirked, reaching toward her chin. She swatted at his hand.

Claudio sighed deeply, "Can you two stop it please? There are a bunch of kids waiting to meet us and they don't know anything about your drama. Be professional."

"Shut up Claudio," Jon sneered.

"Oh that's very mature Jon," Claudio rolled his eyes.

"I'm known for my maturity," Jon shrugged.

Avery let out a loud, fake laugh.

"We're ready for you guys," one of the handlers came around the corner, forcing all of them to pretend to be adults for a few minutes.

"Lead the way," Avery smiled, following behind the young woman.

Claudio followed behind her like the puppy that he was and then Jon brought up the rear, mentally preparing himself for an hour of misery.

Avery pulled her phone out of her pocket as they walked and he saw her type out something quickly.

His own phone buzzed in his pocket and he pulled it out, seeing a text from Avery.

_**Try not to be an asshole.**_

* * *

Randy walked into the locker room, heading to his bag and pulling out his elbow pads. He was in the main event and needed to be ready soon. He turned on the monitor, wanting to see what match was currently on. He'd lost track of where they were on the card. The Divas Battle Royal was about halfway over. Avery was in the ring, along with Paige, Eva, Naomi, Nikki, Charlotte, and Tamina. Intrigued, he decided to keep watching since he had a few minutes. He was interested in seeing Avery work.

Nikki was crawling in the center of the ring, selling a back body drop from Naomi. Eva stood nearby, playing to the crowd that seemed completely indifferent to her. Then, Avery came into the shot, stepping onto Nikki's back and then launching her knee into Eva's face. Eva fell to the canvas and Avery stood in the spot she vacated, flipping her hair and mocking the redhead. Charlotte grabbed Eva's leg, smiling and let out a big 'Woo' before putting Eva in the figure four. Eva sold like she was being murdered until Nikki came in, kicking Charlotte in the chest and breaking them up. Nikki relished in the heat she got from the crowd, holding out her arms and smiling. Then, Naomi bounced off of the ropes, knocking Nikki down by hitting her with her ass. Randy never understood when Divas were given ass-based offense. It reminded him why he didn't watch many of their matches. Naomi pulled Nikki up by the hair and then tossed her out over the second rope, eliminating her. Charlotte picked Eva up and hit her with a hard chop across the chest, sending her out of the ring. While Charlotte celebrated, Tamina grabbed the blonde's hair and tossed her out over the top rope. The fans were obviously upset and Avery, who had been distracted by Paige, looked distraught as Charlotte was forced to exit up the ramp. Tamina tried for the sneak attack again, grabbing two fistfuls of Avery's hair and tossing her over the top rope. Avery grabbed the top rope, holding on for dear life and the fans popped again as she pulled herself up, skinning the cat. Randy actually scooted forward in his chair. He was impressed. Not many women could do that. She and Tamina traded punches before Tamina took her down with a vicious clothesline. Then, the Samoan pulled her up, lifting her and placing her on the top turnbuckle. Randy wondered what the hell they were about to do when Tamina seemed to be going for a superplex. It didn't make any sense in a Battle Royal so he figured Avery was going to block it. She did, clubbing Tamina with forearms until the bigger woman stumbled back down onto the canvas. She was dazed but still standing, turning around with her back to Avery. Then, Avery wrapped her left leg around Tamina's neck, hooking her right knee over her ankle. She pushed herself up on the ropes with both hands while she used her legs to choke the other woman. Tamina struggled, scratching at Avery's legs until she started to fade. Avery used her legs to push Tamina over the top rope. Tamina managed to stay on her feet, wobbling a bit on the ring apron when Avery let go of her choke hold. Avery was also standing on the apron and she hit Tamina with a hard kick to the head, finally eliminating her.

Avery, Naomi, and Paige remained. Paige and Naomi squared off while Avery got back into the ring, catching her breath in the corner. Soon, Paige and Naomi were standing on the ring apron and Paige bent Naomi over, hitting her rapid, stiff knees to the chest. Avery burst out of the corner, rushing over and pushing both of them. Naomi fell but Paige held the rope and kept her footing. Paige drove her shoulder into Avery's stomach and climbed back in over the second rope. The two women traded punches and kicks until they ended up on the opposite ring apron and Randy knew the finish was coming. They both looked exhausted and the crowd was hot, equally behind both of them. They were both holding on to the top rope with one hand, punching at each other with the other. Paige headbutted Avery but the blonde held on with a white knuckle grip. Then Avery grabbed Paige's hair and pulled her head down onto her knee. Paige wavered as well but held on. Next, at the same time, they both went for a front kick, connecting hard. Both women fell off of the apron.

* * *

Avery felt her feet touch the ground and the crowd popped. She snuck a glance at the monitor, just as the replay was shown.

They'd done it.

It was perfect. She and Paige had touched the ground at the exact same moment. As planned, one of the referees came over and took Avery's hand, raising it in the air. The crowd popped loudly for her victory and she smiled happily, trying to catch her breath. Then, another official ran over, grabbing Paige's hand and doing the same.

"This is my house!" Paige screamed at Avery to a much more mixed reaction. She was the heel but people couldn't help but love her.

The referee beside Avery raised her hand again and Avery nodded, smiling, "Whose house is it now?!"

Paige shook her head frantically, screaming.

They shouted at each other and the officials began to argue as well until the show went to commercial.

The four of them argued all the way up the ramp until they got through the curtain.

Once they were out of sight of the fans, Paige jumped on Avery, wrapping her legs around her, "We killed it!"

Avery hugged her friend tightly, squealing with excitement. They had both been so anxious about that spot. If either of them was just a second off, it would have screwed up everything. The fans would have been all over it. The next few weeks of story in the Divas division relied on their feet touching down at the same time on the same side of the ring and they nailed it.

Paige jumped down, looping her arm through Avery's.

They walked past Nick Nemeth who offered Avery a quick high five as he moved past him toward the opening notes of his music. The girls continued on past crew members and Avery slowed down when she saw Randy Orton standing near a monitor in the interview area. He was pulling up his elbow pads and watching the beginning of the next match.

Paige noticed Avery staring and cleared her throat loudly, drawing Randy's attention.

Avery glared at her friend before turning to face Randy. His blue eyes were focused on her and she felt a little flutter in her stomach, rendering her unable to do anything except smile stupidly. He was dressed for his match in his trunks and boots and Avery hoped he didn't notice her objectifying him. She wondered if this was what construction workers felt when they were catcalling women. Maybe it was due to her recent drought but every time she looked at him lately, she felt like she was going to start panting like an over-excited dog.

"Nice work out there," he nodded at her. "I'm impressed."

"Thanks," both women spoke together.

Randy moved to walk past them and he made no attempt to hide that he was looking Avery over.

"Have fun out there," Avery's words escaped her mouth before she could stop them. He smirked, thanking her before turning and walking away.

"Have fun out there?" Paige mocked her. "That's the best you can come up with?"

"I honestly don't know what just happened," Avery shook her head, embarrassed. "I think my brain broke."

"I don't think that's the part of you he's looking to break," Paige smirked as they both watched him walk away.

"I'm beginning to think you're right," Avery admitted. "And I don't think I mind."

"You should," Paige elbowed her.

Avery rolled her eyes, choosing not to fight that battle at that very moment. They could talk about it later.

* * *

_The next morning…_

Avery frowned, watching as bags slowly went by. She was on baggage claim duty while CJ and Paige handled the rental car. So far, only CJ's bags had come around.

"Need some help Matthews?"

She smiled when she felt Colby's arm drape over her shoulders, "I need the bags to come out faster. Does The Authority have any pull in this type of situation?"

"I'm gonna look into that," he laughed. "Where are the other musketeers?"

"Getting the car," she explained. "They should be back in a minute."

"Are you aware that Orton has been eyeballing you the whole time you've been standing here?" Colby frowned, looking over her shoulder. She turned but Randy seemed to be waiting for bags just like she was.

"Well he turned away now but he was," Colby laughed. "What's that about?"

"I don't know," Avery smiled, glancing over at him again. "But I am not mad about it. I can tell you that much."

"Avery…" his tone sounded like a warning.

"_What_?" she looked up at him.

"The guy is a dick," Colby insisted, looking annoyed. "Trust me; I actually have to be around him all the time."

"I could see him being a dick," Avery nodded. She shrugged, "But he's also really hot."

Colby's face twisted into a grimace and she smiled, pinching his cheek.

"You have the worst taste in guys," he shook his head.

She sighed, shrugging, "You might be right about that."

"Aren't those yours?" he pointed to the slow moving luggage.

"Oh thank God," Avery threw her head back. She went to retrieve them but, ever the gentleman, Colby was faster than her, grabbing her two purple suitcases and then Paige's black ones and CJ's red set.

"Thanks Col," she smiled gratefully when he set the last bag down.

"Anytime," he said. "Even if you're being weird."

"Me? Never," she shook her head.

"Lopez! Let's go!"

They both turned, looking at Jon. He was standing with Joe and they were both looking impatient. Despite the fact that the Shield had broken up, they still traveled together. Jon tapped his bare wrist, "We don't have all day."

"You should really keep your dog on a shorter leash," she advised.

"He's been in an especially bad mood since yesterday," Colby said. "You know anything about that?"

"I didn't do anything to him," she put her hands up. "He dropped me on my ass yesterday and you don't see me pouting about it."

Colby made a confused face and she shook her head, "Don't ask."

"The train is leaving with or without you!"

"Fine, then go!" Colby spat back, obviously annoyed. Jon could be extremely prickly this early in the morning and it had always grated on Colby. Almost every argument they'd ever had took place before 7A.M.

Avery bit her bottom lip to stifle a laugh at their bickering.

"Is there room in your car?" he asked.

"For you? Of course," she smiled. "But you might have to be on Total Divas."

"Damn it," Colby looked torn.

"I think he's actually leaving," Avery pointed to Jon and Joe's retreating backs.

"I'll see you later," he patted the top of her head before rushing off to catch them. Avery grabbed a stray cart and then loaded their heavy suitcases. Once everything was done, headed toward the rental car area. CJ had texted, saying their car wasn't ready so they were still waiting. She had to walk past Randy, who was on the phone. As she moved his way, he smiled at her and she waved, walking by. When she was past him, she turned around, catching him checking out her ass. She smirked, winking at him before turning straight ahead.


	5. Lovercall

_Thursday…_

"I must really love you," Avery said as she pushed Paige in a shopping cart.

"I agree, but why are you telling me this?" Paige asked as she grabbed a box of cookies from a shelf.

Avery gave her a look and then looked over at the camera man who had been following them around. She knew she needed to just stop complaining about the Total Divas thing but she felt so ridiculous being trailed around a grocery store that she couldn't help but mention it. Paige, accustomed to her complaining, simply ignored it.

"Do we have everything we need?" Paige asked.

Avery looked through the shopping cart before answering. Nikki was having a bunch of the women over for a pool party and Avery had volunteered to be the bartender. Actually, Nikki dropped heavy handed hints left and right until Avery finally 'volunteered' to do it. Now, she and Paige were picking up provisions.

Avery surveyed the cart and then double checked the list Nikki texted, "Looks like we got it all."

"You know the moment we leave, she's gonna text you 10 more things she forgot," Paige laughed, eating a grape.

"Stop that," Avery waved her hands away from the fruit. "And she couldn't possibly need more than this."

"Why are we doing the shopping anyway?" Paige asked. "Don't she and John have servants to do this for them?"

Avery laughed, "Be nice."

Paige and Nikki got along well when they were together but sometimes Avery got the feeling that it was only for her benefit. They really never spent any time together without her. And they didn't always speak fondly of each other. They both made the occasional catty remark but Paige's typically held more ire.

"I'm always nice," Paige said, struggling to keep a straight face.

Once they were all checked out and headed to the car the camera man went to a separate vehicle and a production assistant took their microphones off.

"Careful, we're both single," Paige winked at the young man who started blushing furiously as she pulled her shirt out so that he could reach under to unhook the microphone pack. He was a cute guy but he'd informed them earlier that he was new to the job and _very_ nervous.

"You do have really warm hands," Avery smirked. "I like that."

"They're soft too," Paige gave him a flirty look over her shoulder.

"You're all set ladies," he said nervously once he finished with Paige. "We'll see you later."

They both laughed as he scurried away, redness creeping up his neck.

Paige's car was already outfitted with a dashboard camera but they were told they wouldn't need to film anything again until later.

"Well he couldn't get away fast enough," Avery laughed.

"We'll break him in soon," Paige shrugged. "Maybe he can be the one to break your drought."

"Okay, it's not a drought," Avery rolled her eyes as they got into the car. "It's only been like a month and a half."

"You forget that I used to live with you," Paige smirked. "You and Jon were like rabbits. 24 hours was a drought."

"Ew," Avery rolled her eyes. She didn't like to admit it but her friend wasn't wrong. She and Jon always had a very difficult time keeping their hands off of each other. They were totally that obnoxious couple. No place was off limits; bathrooms, cars, the occasional broom closet.

"That's not what you were saying back then," Paige teased.

"I will grab the wheel and crash this car," Avery threatened.

"Maybe you should just talk to Jon about your problem, I'm sure he'd help you out."

Avery glared at her friend, considering smacking her for even joking about her hopping into bed with her ex again.

"Oh calm down," Paige laughed at her expression. "It was just a joke."

* * *

"Listen, I may have forgotten to mention something when I said you could stay out the house this week."

Randy frowned as he and John got into John's truck. The company had asked the two of them to appear at a press conference at the Performance Center and Randy had some more to shoot for his DVD so he was staying in Florida until Friday morning. He should have known there was some sort of a catch when John offered up one of his spare rooms. Randy was just happy at the thought of being in a home and not a hotel room.

"Okay," Randy said. "What did you '_forget'_ to mention?"

"Nicole is having a party today," John explained. "A bunch of the girls are coming over. She's having the staff from her favorite spa doing manicures and pedicures and all that and then they're probably just gonna hang out by the pool."

Randy smirked, looking over at his friend, "Which girls?"

"Really?" John laughed. "_That's_ your follow up question?"

"Yes, that is my follow up question," Randy answered. "I think it's a perfectly reasonable one."

"Is there one in particular that you're hoping for?" John gave him a knowing look.

"There could be," Randy admitted. His recent interactions with Avery had him intrigued. Sometimes it seemed like he made her nervous but other times she was definitely flirting, like when she caught him staring at her at the airport.

"All of the Total Divas cast," John explained. He added, "And Avery."

"Good to know," Randy smiled, nodding.

"Nikki really planted a seed with that whole thing, huh?" John looked amused.

"She might have," Randy laughed. "There's something interesting about her."

"Something interesting?" John laughed. "You still haven't talked to the girl for more than 5 minutes. You just like the way she looks in those short shorts."

"That too," Randy confirmed. "I _strongly_ support whoever made that choice. But you would be proud of me; I actually started watching her work. She's really good."

"I agree, she is. And she's been a big help to Nicole," John said. "You don't think she's a little young for you?"

"I haven't googled her John, I don't know how old she is," Randy shrugged. "And I'm not looking to marry the girl. I'm just..interested."

"She's 25," John informed him. "And she's one of Nicole's friends so just…be careful."

"Don't worry," Randy assured his friend. "I'll tread lightly."

* * *

Nikki smiled, looking around at the party. She knew this was a good idea. Everyone had been stressed recently and a little R&amp;R was sorely needed. The weather was perfect; everything was set up around the pool area. The spa staff was pleasant and very efficient. Everyone had gotten a green tea facial to start the day. Now, Brie, Nattie, Eva, and Ariane were getting pedicures while Paige, Alicia, and Rosa were getting manicures. The Total Divas cameras were there but they were scheduled to leave in an hour. Avery and Nikki had gone first with mani/pedis so they could handle drinks and food for everyone else. They were sitting at the edge of the pool with their feet in the water, enjoying the breeze and the playlist Nikki painstakingly put together with everyone's taste in mind.

"You know, my tailbone still hurts after that asshole dropped me on Monday," Avery shifted uncomfortably.

Avery and Jon's relationship was foreign to Nikki. Sure, she wasn't best friends with any of her exes but she didn't hate any of them the way they seemed to hate each other.

"You never told me why he dropped you," Nikki reminded her.

"Is there any reason that would justify doing such a thing?" Avery asked. "He was just being a dick. It's what he does best."

"You don't think it had anything to do with the fact that you were with Claudio at the time?" Nikki suggested. Avery looked around and Nikki was sure she was trying to make sure she wasn't on camera. She had taken to doing that a lot lately.

"Don't worry. They're focused on Nattie today," Nikki tried to ease her mind. "Some drama with TJ."

Avery sighed deeply, leaning her head back, "That probably had something to do with it. But he's _got_ to get over this delusion that I cheated on him with Claudio. I've told him a hundred times that it didn't happen and he just won't let it go."

Nikki knew all too well what Jon thought about Avery and Claudio. Everyone did. But she knew Avery well enough to know that she would never cheat. If she wanted to see someone else she would've just broken up with Jon.

"He'll get over it someday honey," Nikki leaned her shoulder against the blonde's.

"I don't really care what he does," Avery scoffed. "As long as he does it far, far away from me."

It still occasionally surprised Nikki that she and Avery bonded the way they did. A lot of women coming into the WWE had preconceived notions of who the Bella Twins were and nothing could change their mind. Nikki had to admit, in their first run with the company, they'd earned their bad reputation. They were arrogant and let a little taste of fame get to their heads. Sure, they made some friends but they also rubbed a lot of people the wrong way. After they took a year off to pursue other interests, they both realized how much passion they really had for the business and when they came back, they had a new attitude. But not everyone bought into it. Nikki knew a lot of people didn't take her seriously because of her relationship with John. The assumption was that anything she got was given to her because of him. If she won a match, it was because of him. If she got a push, John made it happen. And sure, when Total Divas first started, she and Brie pushed the whole 'veterans vs. rookies' thing but that was for TV. She didn't think she ran the women's locker room. She felt that she was a leader, yes, but she wasn't the only one. Still, there was always this idea that real women's _wrestlers_ couldn't get along with _Divas_ like the Bellas. Nikki had been a fan of Avery's since before she even signed with the company. The girl was tearing up the indies, anyone who knew their stuff knew who she was. Brie had been _certain_ that when she was called up, they wouldn't get along, partially because Paige had been a little stand offish when she first got called up and it was common knowledge that Paige and Avery were attached at the hip. But Nikki knew that she hated when others made assumptions about her and she didn't want to be one of those people. So on Avery's first day on the road, Nicole walked right up to her and introduced herself, shook her hand and welcomed her to the family. And Avery gave her a huge smile and was so gracious and sweet that Nikki knew they would be fast friends. It didn't hurt that they both had a bad case of gutter-brains and Avery was one of the few people she knew who swore more than she did.

"We need refills over here!" Paige called to them.

"Yes your highness," Avery laughed, standing up and drying her legs with a towel. Nikki did the same and asked if anyone else needed another drink. Once they'd collected the empties, both women walked into the kitchen and Avery started about making delicious frozen drinks. She moonlit as a bartender before she started in NXT and she could make a great daiquiri.

"You think I should make Brie's a virgin?" Avery laughed. "She's been hitting 'em pretty hard."

"Nah, let her have her fun," Nikki laughed. "We don't have to work tomorrow. I wouldn't mind seeing her get into Brie Mode. She's probably gonna crash here anyway."

"Whatever you say, boss," Avery shrugged, pouring rum into the blender.

"Lucy, I'm home!"

Nikki beamed, turning toward her man's voice. She loved that she still got that giddy schoolgirl feeling every time he came home.

Avery started filling glasses and Nikki hugged John tightly when he entered the room.

"I missed you," she smiled up at him.

"I always miss you," he kissed her forehead. "Avery, I hear you are a master of frozen girly drinks. I'm gonna have to try one of those."

"You just let me know when you're ready," she smiled, loading up a tray.

"Cena, which room am I staying in?"

Nikki's smile widened when Randy came into the room. Avery looked up from what she was doing and when they made eye contact it took all of Nikki's willpower not to start clapping at her own handiwork. Avery smiled and Randy seemed to forget why he came into the room.

He put his suitcase down on the floor, "Hey. I didn't know _you_ were gonna be here."

"I was brought here against my will and forced to make drinks and wear a bikini," Avery teased. She pointed at Nikki, "That's my captor right there."

"She got free spa treatments, that's payment enough," Nikki shrugged. She was a little surprised. She'd expected Avery to be happy that Randy was there but she figured she would be a little pissed at Nikki for not warning her. She was probably still too relaxed from the facial. That and the drinks.

"That does sound like a pretty good deal," Randy walked over, stealing a piece of pineapple.

"Easy for you to say," Avery smirked. "So, you heard about my plight. What are _you_ doing here?"

"We had some work at the Performance Center," he explained. "Fortunately, I am done for the day."

"Well that's cause for celebration," she smiled. "You want a drink?"

"Do you have anything that isn't gonna give me a sugar rush?" Randy asked.

"I'm sure I can give you something you'll like," Avery declared confidently.

"I don't doubt that," Randy looked her over as she reached into the cabinet for more glasses.

"Do you think they know we're still in the room?" John whispered to Nikki.

"I'm not sure, honestly," Nikki shrugged.

"I can hear you," Randy said, not taking his eyes off of Avery.

"So can I," Avery said, filling a glass with ice.

The four of them talked while Avery made Randy a drink. Once she handed it to him, Nikki looked back toward the pool and saw that Brie was waving for her attention.

"We should get back to the girls," Nikki said. She looked up at John hopefully, "You're gonna come out, right?"

"Yeah, once the cameras are gone," he answered. He was very good about the show but she knew there were times when he just wanted to be out of the spotlight, especially at home.

"They're leaving soon," Nikki promised. "Randy, your attendance is mandatory as well."

Randy took a sip of his drink and looked pleasantly surprised.

"See, I told you," Avery patted herself on the back of the shoulder.

"I'm definitely in if I can get more of these," he held up the glass.

"She'll give you whatever you want," Nikki joked.

"Hey!" Avery slapped her on the arm.

"What's so wrong about that?" Randy asked.

"We'll see you later," Avery laughed, picking up the tray of drinks.

Randy nodded, "Yes you will."

* * *

_1 Hour Later…_

Avery was so glad the cameras were gone. She always felt a sense of relief when they left. Now she was free to enjoy the party, get a little tipsy, and hopefully continue to flirt with Randy. When she first saw him, Avery considered scolding Nikki for surprising her but then she realized that it didn't matter. He was there and she was going to enjoy it. She'd always thought he was incredibly attractive and now she had the opportunity to act on it.

"Avery!"

She jumped when she heard her name and turned to see Brie running toward her.

"No, no, no," she tried to wave Brie off because she was standing perilously close to the edge of the pool but Brie kept running full speed toward her.

"Brie Mode!" Brie called before wrapping her arms around Avery and tackling her into the pool. It took Avery a moment to get her bearings but at least she managed to close her mouth before she hit the water. She swam back to the surface, laughing as she pushed her hair out of her face. Brie popped up beside her and Paige stood near the edge of the pool with her phone, taking a picture.

Brie put her arms around Avery's neck.

"Everybody say Brie Mode," Paige giggled and they obeyed as she took the picture. Then Brie dunked Avery's head underwater. Avery came up quickly, splashing the brunette in the face. She and Brie weren't all that close so she knew if Brie was suddenly her bestie, Brie Mode wasn't far behind. They all had Paige to thank for Brianna's current state of inebriation. Whenever they all hung out, Brie had this strange desire to try to keep up with Paige and Avery. Unfortunately, her tolerance was about half of what theirs was. While they were getting their spa treatments, Paige had been downing drinks left and right so of course Brie tried to do the same. It was okay though; she was at the stage of giggly, fun Brie. They just had to keep her there. She knew Nikki would watch out for her. John would be there soon and she didn't like to get too drunk in front of him so she'd be the level headed one.

"Nattie, come on!" Brie shouted when she caught the other woman watching them.

"Yeah come on Nattie," Paige encouraged. "Have a little fun."

"I'm good over here, thank you," Nattie shook her head.

"Oh so Nattie gets an option and I just get dragged into the pool?" Avery laughed. "That seems unfair."

"Life's not fair," Brie laughed.

Avery laughed, turning to see if Nikki was coming back yet. She'd gone inside to get John and Randy. TJ had just arrived and he didn't want to be the only guy at the party. Nikki came out of the house holding hands with John, smiling from ear to ear. It was adorable how excited she got over him. All thoughts of John and Nikki's cuteness were forcefully evicted from her mind by the sight of Randy Orton. He was in a pair of black swim trunks, which was more covered than she saw him at work but this was somehow different. This was off the clock and Avery's eyes went to his abs like a laser beam. Nikki and John went toward the lounge chairs while Randy walked toward Avery, standing at the edge of the pool.

"Can I get another one of those drinks now?" he smiled down at her.

"What's that?" she cupped her hand around her ear. "I can't hear you."

He put his hands on his hips, obviously not believing her.

"I'm sorry, you're gonna have to get in here if you wanna talk to me," she swam backward a few feet, beckoning him forward.

"Oh you're gonna be like that?" he laughed.

"Yup," she nodded. "Come on in."

"Okay, you asked for it," he took a few steps back and then jumped into the pool, sending up a big splash.

Avery laughed, clapping when he popped up beside her, "Nice form."

"Thank you," he gave her a short bow.

"At least you got to come in of your own volition," she laughed. "Brie knocked me in and I think my ear is full of water."

"Oh yeah?" he asked, looking concerned. "I know a really good trick for that."

"You do?" she asked. "What?"

"Well, what you do is," he stood in front of her and put his hands on her sides, causing her skin to tingle. Then, without warning, he lifted her up and tossed her backward into the water. She spun around, trying to regain her composure. When she came up he was laughing and she joined him in spite of herself, splashing water at him, "Jerk."

"I couldn't help myself," he shrugged.

"Oh really? You couldn't help yourself, huh?" she swam toward him. She jumped up, hands on his shoulders, intending to dunk him. He was too quick for her though. He wrapped his arms around her thighs, holding her tight against him and keeping her from pushing him down.

"I don't think so," he shook his head, looking up at her. "You're gonna have to try something better than that."

* * *

Randy helped Avery dry off her back and then draped the towel over her shoulders. He laid down on one of the lounge chairs while she used the towel to squeeze some of the water out of her hair. He watched her carefully as she ran her hands through her damp waves. He really couldn't understand how he'd worked with her for so long without really having any interaction with her. She was absolutely gorgeous. The black and white bikini she wore left little to the imagination and her body was ridiculous. She was athletic and toned but not _too_ muscular. He'd heard Nikki say something about her doing a lot of yoga and it showed in her lean frame. He had to remind himself repeatedly that there were other people around. And despite her tattoos and her nose piercing, she had one of those classically beautiful faces, right out of an old movie. Her hazel eyes were big and shrouded with long, thick lashes. Her nose was thin and mostly straight, though a tiny bump on the left side gave her away as a long time athlete, it had definitely been broken before. Her lips were full and naturally pink. She put her towel down on the chair beside his and laid down, drawing Randy's eyes to her flat, toned stomach and a perfect pair of breasts that Randy hadn't been able to identify as real or fake just yet, despite all of their playing around in the pool. He just knew they felt were soft and he liked having them pressed up against him. He didn't know what the hell Ambrose was thinking letting her go but he was hoping the other man's loss would be his gain.

"So you and Nikki had a good match on Smackdown," Randy observed.

"Yeah, Nikki's been working really hard lately," Avery nodded. "It shows."

"And you've obviously helped a lot," he said. "I really like your style. Those kicks look brutal."

"Thank you," she smiled gratefully. "You seem to be watching a lot of me lately."

"I might be," he shrugged. "Do you mind?"

She smirked at him, shaking her head, "Not so far."

"Avery, will you get another round?" Nikki called across the pool.

"Duty calls," she shrugged at Randy, getting up somewhat reluctantly. "Of course Nik, I'll be right back."

"Thank you!" Nikki smiled sweetly as Avery headed into the house. Randy looked around seeing that everyone was either in or close to the pool. He hadn't had a moment alone with Avery yet and this seemed like as good a time as any.

"I'll go help her," he offered, standing up and heading inside slowly. He didn't want to be too obvious.

When he got inside, Avery was loading more strawberries and rum into the blender.

"Hey," she smiled, pleasantly surprised.

"You know, you never did make me another one of those drinks," he reminded her.

"Shit, I totally forgot," she laughed. "Come on over, I'll make you one right now."

"Actually, I thought of something else I'd like even more," he walked over, standing beside her.

She turned, looking up at him with a curious expression, "And what would that-"

He couldn't wait for her to finish her sentence. He leaned down, capturing her lips with his before she got out another word. She squeaked in surprise but responded quickly, her hands finding his shoulders. He teased her mouth open and she moaned softly when his tongue stroked against hers. She was an even better kisser than he'd expected. She tasted like fruit and rum and her lips were just as soft as they looked. When he felt her hand on the back of his neck, pulling him closer, he groaned, swim trunks growing significantly tighter. Someone yelled loudly outside and Avery jumped, pulling away, looking toward their friends.

"They're fine," he assured her, pulling her back into the kiss. She kissed him feverishly and he tangled one hand into her hair, running the other down over her back. He stopped his hand on her ass, just before he reached her thigh, squeezing hard. She gasped, opening her mouth more to him. He lifted her up, wrapping her legs around his waist and trailing his kisses down her smooth neck and across her collarbone. He caught her looking over his shoulder, obviously anxious about getting caught, so he carried her just outside the kitchen, pushing her up against the wall. No one would see them there. She was clearly pleased, giving him a sexy smirk. That was all the encouragement he needed. He kissed her hard and the back of her head tapped the wall. She laughed and he did the same but seconds later, their lips were attached again. He couldn't remember if John had any bedrooms on the lower level of the house but if not, he was going to take her right there in the hallway.

"Avery, Nicole wants to know where the drinks are!"

Randy recognized Paige's accent. Avery pulled away, looking alarmed. Randy held a finger to his lips and she bit her bottom lip trying to stay quiet.

"Avery! Where the hell are you?"

Avery seemed to be having a hard time stifling her giggling and Randy kissed her again, partially to keep her quiet but mostly because he couldn't wait to kiss those lips again. It didn't take long for him to forget that they were hiding. He kept her pressed tightly against the wall, kissing and licking at her neck. He grazed her skin with his teeth and she sucked in a sharp breath.

They were interrupted again by the loud sound of someone clearing their throat.

They both looked to the side and found Paige standing there, arms crossed and a disapproving look fixed on her pale face.

"Hey," Avery said as Randy _very_ reluctantly put her down. "What are you doing in here?"

"Looking for you," Paige explained.

Avery laughed uncomfortably, tucking her hair behind her ears. "Well here I am."

* * *

Avery ran her hands through her damp hair, walking past Paige back into the kitchen. She could feel both Paige and Randy's eyes on her and she wasn't sure what to say to either one of them. She bit her bottom lip in attempt to keep her smile at bay and prayed her cheeks weren't as red as they felt. Despite their flirting, she hadn't expected it when Randy kissed her. She certainly didn't mind though. She turned the blender on, looking up when Paige walked into the kitchen, followed by Randy who seemed to have the same problem keeping a smile off of his face.

"I'll uh..let you two talk," Randy said, walking past behind Avery. She jumped when she felt his hand brush across her ass.

"I'll see you out there," Avery smiled, turning off the blender.

"Don't forget my drink," he smirked.

"I wouldn't dare," she laughed as he turned away. Once he was gone, she started pouring, waiting for Paige to speak. She nearly missed one of the cups and realized she was a bit drunker than she realized.

"What the hell was that?" Paige finally spoke, slapping her hands down on the counter.

"What was what?" Avery looked up, feigning innocence. It didn't work.

Paige's dark eyes narrowed and Avery could see the tension in her jaw. It was rare that she got to see that expression from her best friend. They almost never fought and if one of them was gonna scold the other; it was usually Avery doing the scolding.

"_Randy Orton_?" Paige stared at her. "What are you thinking?"

"I wasn't thinking a whole lot to be honest," Avery quipped.

Paige remained less than amused.

"Why do you seem so upset?" Avery asked. "You don't even know him."

"Neither do you," Paige reminded her.

"That's _very_ true," Avery admitted. "But I'm failing to see what the big deal is. When Nikki brought up the idea of me and Randy, you laughed it off. Where is this coming from?"

"We were all joking around," Paige said. "I didn't take it seriously. I thought you would know better."

"Know better?" Avery raised an eyebrow.

"All we ever hear about him is what a massive asshole he is," Paige explained. "And this is what we hear from our _friends_."

Paige wasn't wrong about that. When she was dating Jon, Avery got to hear lots about how awful Randy was. Joe, Colby, and Jon all complained about working with him during the Shield/Evolution angle. Joe, in particular, ended up with stitches after saying that Randy worked too stiff in a match and opened up a big gash on his eyebrow.

"Do you know how many times Foxy has stiffed me in the ring?" Avery laughed. "It doesn't mean she's evil."

The corner of Paige's mouth twitched but she fought off a laugh, keeping her face as angry as she could manage.

"Crumpet, I think you need to take a chill pill here," Avery grabbed two cups and poured a double shot's worth of tequila in each. She nudged one toward Paige, who reluctantly picked it up. "I made out with the guy. It's not that big of a deal. I'm not having his baby."

"If it's not a big deal then it shouldn't be hard to keep from doing it again, right?" Paige suggested.

"Say what now?" Avery frowned in suspicion.

"_Abracadabra_," Paige pointed at her.

"Oh come on!" Avery slapped her hand on the marble counter.

The Abracadabra was a secret weapon, reserved only for extreme situations. They had a longstanding agreement that whenever one of them was drunk and making a decision the other thought they might regret, all they had to do was say _Abracadabra_ to get them to stop, no questions asked, like magic.

"Just for the rest of the night," Paige insisted.

"Fine," Avery rolled her eyes hard. "But you suck. Just know that."

"I love you too," Paige tapped her cup against Avery's and then downed the shot. Avery followed suit, glaring at her friend. Paige blew a kiss at her and she couldn't help but laugh.

"I just want you to be careful babe, that's all," Paige hugged an arm around Avery's neck.

"Yeah, yeah, fine," Avery smacked her on the backside. "Let's go try and enjoy the party."

"Enjoy it?" Paige laughed, picking up the tray of drinks. "We are the party."

* * *

_Saturday. Baton Rouge, LA…_

_10AM_

Jon walked off of the elevator, tapping his phone against his hand as he walked through the lobby. He was headed to a signing at some video game store and he was dreading it. He and Joe had taken up residency in a dive bar the night before and now he was feeling it. He'd only been awake for about 10 minutes and half of that was a shower. Fortunately, he knew the store was about 15 minutes away so he would have enough time to wake himself up.

He stepped out into the humid Louisiana air, looking around for the car the company was supposed to have waiting for him. He didn't see it but he did see something else that piqued his interest. Avery was standing a few feet away from the door in an obscenely short, tight black skirt and a loose white tank top. She was typing on her phone with one hand, a steaming to-go cup in the other. He strolled over to her, swiping the cup out of her hand.

She turned, startled until she saw that it was him. Then she just looked annoyed, her standard expression when he was around.

"Good morning to you too," she crossed her arms as he took a long drink. As expected, it was turmeric and ginger tea with a little honey and too much lemon. She drank it every morning. He hated the taste of the stuff but he'd learned when they were together that it was a great cure for a hangover.

"Morning," he smiled at her, holding the cup out to her.

"Keep it," she pushed it back. "I don't know where your mouth has been."

He shrugged, taking another drink, "What are you doing down here?"

She raised an eyebrow, looking at him like he'd lost his mind, "Is that a serious question?"

He nodded.

"We're doing the signing together," she sighed. "Do you even _look_ at your schedule?"

He did look at his schedule but he'd completely forgotten about her being at the signing.

"Of course I look at it Avery. I just forgot. I slept late."

"Because you're hung over?" she asked, though her expression made it clear that she didn't need him to answer.

He shrugged, "I may or may not have over-indulged last night."

'"As if I wasn't dreading this enough," she sighed.

He wasn't thrilled about spending his morning with her either but he accepted that sometimes they were just going to be stuck together, whether they liked it or not. He had a feeling it would happen once they pulled the trigger on turning her babyface.

"You shouldn't stress yourself out so much, you're gonna get wrinkles," he advised.

She tilted her head back, looking to the heavens for help.

Just in time, a black Lincoln Navigator pulled up and the driver got out, apologizing for his tardiness and opening the back door for them.

Avery looked like she was debating sitting in the front and Jon gestured for her to get in ahead of him, "Come on doll face, our chariot awaits."

She got in, careful to pull down the back of her skirt, "More like the train to hell."

* * *

_5:00PM_

Randy got into his rental car, glad he managed to go unnoticed. There were a few fans huddled at the front of the hotel but he'd exited through a side door. He certainly had an appreciation for his fans but he wasn't one of those guys that enjoyed spending time around them either. He preferred to sign autographs and take pictures in a regulated setting.

As he got in the car, he heard his phone chime and he pulled it out of one of the pockets of his gym bag. It was John returning his text from earlier. He was thinking about Avery and went to send her a text before he realized he'd never actually gotten her phone number. He thought John might have it since she hung out with Nikki so much.

_Why don't you have it?_

He laughed, shaking his head. It was a good question. He couldn't seem to stop thinking about her after that party. After she and Paige came back outside that night, she'd gone out of her way to avoid him, instead spending the rest of the night wrangling Brie and playing quarters with TJ. It left him in a rather uncomfortable state of frustration. They'd exchanged plenty of looks but whenever he came near her, she made some excuse to move away. He was certain that she enjoyed what happened between them so he could only assume that whatever she and Paige talked about in the kitchen was the reason for her avoidance. Paige seemed pretty smug about it but he may have been reading too much into it. He didn't know of any specific reason that Paige would have a problem with him but he was never surprised to find out about a new person who didn't like him. He wasn't always a ray of sunshine.

He figured he would probably see Avery at the house show that night and he could talk to her alone. Hopefully Paige hadn't convinced her to stay away from him for good because he wasn't done with her yet.

* * *

"Your hands are like ice today," Paige jumped as the cute production assistant helped her off with her mic again. "Are you alright?"

"Sorry," he apologized.

"You know, you feel me up every other day and I don't even know your name," she smiled at him.

"It's Matt," he laughed, his cheeks flushed as usual. He wasn't her type at all but he had a nice smile and it was fun to make him blush.

"Paige, what's an abracadabra?"

Paige looked up as Nikki came their way, looking confused.

"Thanks Matt," Paige smiled, patting him on the shoulder before meeting Nikki halfway. She had to get to hair and makeup and Nikki looked like she'd just finished.

"Why do you wanna know?" Paige asked, though she was pretty sure she already knew the answer.

"Because I asked Avery what happened with Randy at my party and she told me you _Abracadabra'd_ her, as if that's something that would make sense to a normal person," Nikki said, crossing her arms. "All I know is that they were flirting like crazy and then after you guys brought out that last round of drinks, she was volunteering to be the one to take care of Brie's drunk ass. No one ever _volunteers_ to take care of Brie. Not even Bryan."

Paige smirked, "She wasn't that bad. I've seen her much worse."

"I know. We all have," she rolled her eyes. "Anyway, can you translate?"

"It's like a drunk decision veto," Paige explained. "If I say it, she has to stop what she's doing. Same goes for me."

"And what was she doing?" Nikki raised an eyebrow.

"She didn't tell you?" Paige asked, surprised. Nikki was so nosy, Paige was sure Avery hadn't made it out of the house that night without talking about her little dalliance with Randy. "I caught them making out."

"What's wrong with that?" Nikki looked delighted at the idea and Paige struggled not to roll her eyes. She didn't want to explain why she thought it was a bad idea. Nikki wouldn't get it.

"She was drunk, I just wanted her to think about what she was doing," Paige answered. "That's the whole point."

"And how long does this thing last?" Nikki questioned.

"As long as she was drunk," Paige explained. "It's over now. She can do what she wants."

Nikki looked relieved, "Oh thank God."

* * *

"How much hairspray do they go through in one show for you?" Avery laughed as CJ came into the dressing room. She always looked annoyed when she got out of hair and makeup and sometimes it was hard to tell if she was getting into character as Lana or getting a headache from all of the hairspray.

"More than enough," CJ sighed, sitting down next to her. "Touch it. It's not going anywhere."

Avery poked at the picture perfect bun, jumping at the crunchy sound it made, "Dear God."

"Right?" the blonde laughed. "It's gross."

Avery poked it again and CJ laughed, playfully smacking her hand away. "We can't all get special treatment like you."

"Oh don't start," Avery sighed, leaning back on the couch. When she started in NXT, she'd made sort of a big deal about her hair. For her entire career, she'd always wrestled with her hair up, often in two French braids or a high and tight ponytail. She just hated having her hair flying around in her face and getting into her mouth, it drove her crazy. Hunter allowed it during matches in NXT but warned her that it would be a fight to keep it when she got to the main roster. Vince had a thing. He liked all of the divas to have long hair and he liked the look of it flying loose as they wrestled. Avery tried to ignore the creepiness of that but when she came up, they had to have the discussion. She thought it was an indescribably stupid thing to talk about but they hashed it out. Eventually, they came to a compromise, pretty much a 50/50 split she had to wear it down sometimes but she didn't want any extensions, her hair was long enough. Vince agreed and then, 2 days before her debut, she cut her hair to shoulder length, deciding that if she was going to have to have it down, she wanted to have less of it. She got into a little bit of trouble but it was worth it. Vince and Hunter liked the look and they would hopefully never have a meeting about it again. The other girls gave her some shit about 'special treatment' but she didn't mind favoritism if she got what she wanted.

"Avery, Malenko's looking for you," Brie entered the locker room, walking over to her own bag. "He's right outside."

"Good, I can finally find out what the hell we're doing tonight," Avery got up, walking out the door. Normally she found out the plan for the night upon arrival at a house show venue but when she arrived, she was told that things were still up in the air.

"You rang?" she smiled when she saw Dean Malenko. She loved when he was on the road. He was one of her favorite people to talk to and she'd always looked up to him.

"Hey Kid," he smiled. "Final lineup for the night is done. Same script will go for tomorrow's show."

"And?" she waited.

"Tag match, Paige and Big Show against you and Ambrose," he explained.

"Me and _who_?" she laughed, positive that he was joking.

"Ambrose," he repeated. "Pretty sure you know the guy."

Avery frowned, deeply confused. She and Jon had never had any remote involvement onscreen so she couldn't understand the booking.

"_Why_?"

"The four of you were all advertised for the shows but the timing is gonna be off because of another match. We had to condense your separate matches into one to save time."

"I had to spend all morning with him and now you want me to tag with him," Avery said. "Am I being punished for something?"

"Of course not."

"Why him?"

"You're both faces, you've both got good momentum going. The crowd will love it."

"Joe is a face, why can't you condense his match and I'll work with him?" she suggested.

"Because this says Ambrose and Ryan versus Show and Paige," he held up the official rundown of the show.

Avery wanted to point out that it also said 'final' which was rarely ever true but she knew that wouldn't get her anywhere. She shouldn't have argued in the first place. She was lucky Malenko had a soft spot for her.

"Look, I know you two aren't the best of friends but its two nights," he patted her on the shoulder. "It won't be that bad."

Avery put on her fakest smile, "Whatever you say."

* * *

Jon stared at Paul Wight for a long time, hoping that if he could somehow frighten him enough, maybe he'd say something different.

"Did you hear me?" the larger man laughed, obviously not intimidated.

"Yes, I heard you," Jon answered. "Why are we tagging with the girls?"

Paul gave him some explanation about timing and Jon rolled his eyes, "Why don't we just cut our match down? Give the girls more time to tear it up? That's fine with me."

He didn't have anything against Avery as a performer. Despite all of their issues, he still enjoyed watching her work and she was hugely over with the fans.

That didn't mean he wanted to work with her.

"It's already done man," Paul patted him on the shoulder. "Relax. It'll be fun."

"Oh yeah. Sounds like a blast."

Paul walked out of the room as Colby was coming in. Jon balled up the t-shirt he had in his hands and tossed it at his friend, hitting him in the face.

"What the hell was that for?" Colby laughed, picking up the shirt.

"Your match is running long and now I have to tag with Avery," he explained.

"Hey, there's worse things that could happen," Colby pointed at him. "I am sorry that your match got shortened though."

"No you're not," Jon laughed.

"I'm not, but I thought that was what you needed to hear," Colby smirked.

He knew if he was in Colby's position, he wouldn't have been sorry. That was why they were so close. They didn't have to apologize to each other for things like that. Their careers came first and no matter what, they were always happy for each other. They both knew they were good enough that eventually they'd each have their moment. Colby's moment was just coming sooner.

"You and Avery are both professional, you'll live," Colby said, tossing his shirt back. "Although..nevermind."

"No, no, what were you gonna say?" Jon asked.

Colby laughed, "I was just thinking..what if this is a test run?"

"A test run for _what_?" Jon frowned.

"You and Avery," Colby laughed at his reaction.

"No," Jon shook his head, emphatic. "This is just a time thing."

"But why combine you two and the girls?" Colby asked. "I mean, why not tag you and Joe against show and Orton?"

"Because no one wants to deal with Orton's whining?" Jon suggested.

Colby nodded, "Maybe. Or maybe we're on the verge of the Ambrose and Ryan era."

Jon laughed, shaking his head, "Not if I can help it."

* * *

Avery pressed the soles of her feet together and took a long deep breath before rolling her neck, Marina and the Diamonds playing in her headphones. She closed her eyes, leaning forward until her forehead touched her feet. Before every show, she had to find a quiet place to just stretch her muscles and clear her head. It was especially necessary knowing she would be working with Jon. She couldn't deal with him for the second time in one day without making sure her spirit was in a peaceful place. She tilted her chin toward her chest, stretching the back of her neck and then reached her arms forward. When she felt her hand brush against something she jumped, sitting up straight. When she looked up, she saw Randy standing in front of her. She relaxed and smiled, pulling out her headphones and dropping them beside her.

"Do you have a few minutes to talk?" he asked, offering his hand.

She took it, allowing him to pull her up. When she stood, they were only a few inches apart and Avery desperately wanted him to kiss her again. He was dressed for his match already in a Viper shirt and his trunks and he smelled fantastic. He looked like he needed a shave and she really enjoyed the scruffy look on him.

Avery took a step back, trying to make sure she didn't jump on him. They were at work after all.

"I was hoping I'd run into you," she said, tucking her hair behind her ears. "I just wanted to apologize for the mixed signals at the party. It was just weird after Paige came in and then-"

Before she knew it, Randy's lips were on hers. She melted into the kiss immediately, parting her lips for him. His tongue teased hers, coaxing her into a deeper kiss. She moved her hand from his shoulder to the back of his neck and he groaned, hooking his finger into her belt loop, sharply pulling her against him. She could feel the effect the kiss had on him and she felt her will power waning. So much for a calm spirit. Reluctantly, she pulled away from his lips, looking up at him.

"I thought you wanted to talk," she smiled.

"I did," he laughed, sliding his hand to the small of her back. "But then I saw you and I couldn't wait to kiss you again."

"Did you even know who I was 2 weeks ago?" she laughed.

"I knew who you were," he assured her. "But I'll admit, I have thought about you a lot differently lately."

"You're not gonna ask if I knew who you were?" she teased, raising an eyebrow.

"You're funny," he kissed her lips again. "So tell me what happened on Thursday."

"It's kind of complicated to explain but-"

"Paige doesn't like me?" he finished for her.

"She doesn't necessarily _dislike_ you," Avery explained. "She just..didn't think I was capable of making the right decisions that night."

"Sounds like a good friend," he nodded. "You could've just told me that, you know?"

"I considered that," she laughed. "But I was also drunk and horny and I was fairly certain if I talked to you I was going to break a promise."

He smiled and she blushed, realizing she probably didn't have to be _that_ honest.

"Well next time, maybe just tell me what's up," he suggested.

"Next time?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Next time," he repeated. "Although I'm hoping that was our last interruption."

"You're assuming this is going to continue," she gestured between the two of them.

He smirked, "Am I wrong?"

She smiled, stepping out of his grasp and picking up her phone, "That remains to be seen."


	6. Fair Game

Avery fanned her face as she walked away from Randy, hoping she wasn't as red as she felt. Her match was set to start soon and she was going to have to get her hormones in check very quickly. She headed toward catering, which was surprisingly empty. Normally it was impossible to have a group of wrestlers together in one building without at least a handful of them eating. She grabbed a bottle of water out of a cooler and took a long, grateful drink. She thought she heard footsteps coming toward her but she turned around and there was no one there. Shrugging, she took another sip from the bottle.

"Run."

She heard the gravelly whisper in her ear at the same time as a pair of hands clamped down on her shoulders and Avery screamed, tossing her water up into the air. When she turned around, she saw Windham Rotunda doubled over laughing, his hand on his stomach.

"God damn it Win!" she smacked him hard on the arm. "You scared the shit out of me."

"That was the point, sweetheart," he chuckled. "Oh, that really never gets old."

She crossed her arms, giving him her most stern expression. He was clearly unfazed. She and Windham had been friends for years, since she started in NXT, and he'd learned very quickly that she was easily startled. Scaring her seemed to tickle him greatly. It had actually been a while since he'd made her jump out of her skin, she was starting to think he'd finally bored of it.

"Are you done?" she asked as he continued to laugh.

He nodded, taking a deep breath to stifle his laughter, "Yes, yes I'm done now. Thank you, I needed that."

"Glad I could be of service," she pushed his shoulder. "Ass."

"Aww, don't be mad at me," he laughed, putting his arm over her shoulders. "You just make it so easy."

"Did you _want_ something?" she lifted an eyebrow.

"I do actually," he confirmed. "Your presence is requested this evenin'. After the show, we're gonna hit a bar I know nearby."

Avery winced. When he said 'we' she knew exactly to whom he was referring. Jon was most definitely included. They were as thick as thieves.

"I-I don't think I can, Win," she scrambled for an excuse. "Paige-"

"Already agreed to come," he crossed his arms, moving to stand in front of her. "And volunteered to drag you kickin' and screamin' if you try to say no."

She sighed, hands on her hips, looking up at the ceiling, making a mental note to scold her friend for not giving her the heads up, "I just can't tonight."

"Avery," Windham sighed, his eyes rolling. "Come on now. It's been long enough."

"What do you mean by that?" she asked.

"I mean that you are my friend, just like Jon is," he explained. "And I can speak for several others when I say that we're starting to feel like children of divorce. I don't wanna have two Christmases and two birthdays."

Avery looked down, suddenly fascinated with the tip of her right boot.

"We've all given the two of you time," he said patiently. "But you're just as much a part of this group as Jon is and it's time you come back into the fold. You're grown adults. He messed up bad and we all let him have it. You needed some time and distance and I understand that. But what good has staying away from all of your friends done you?"

"Not _all_ of my friends," she shrugged, still looking down. She knew she didn't have much of an argument.

He chuckled, "Paige is a vital one but I don't think she's enough. And don't try to use Nikki either. I know you, you can't get by on gal pals alone."

"Did you really just say gal pals?" she laughed, finally meeting his eyes again. She didn't really want to admit it but he had a point. She loved Paige like family but she had missed hanging out with the boys. Colby was the only one she ever really spent time with on the road.

"I did and I'm not ashamed of it," he said. "Come on, just come out for one night, like old times. I won't lie to you, Jon will be there. But so will the rest of us. You'll have a good time, I guarantee it."

She sighed, running a hand over her hair, knowing he wouldn't give up. Windham was tenacious, always had been.

"If you hate it, I will personally bring you back to the hotel," he assured her. "Piggy back ride."

"Okay, okay," she waved her hands. "I'll go."

"Glad to hear it," he pulled her into a headlock, mussing her hair.

"Damn it Win," she slapped at his arm, slipping out of his grasp. "I have a match."

"So what?" he laughed. "Your hair's gonna get messed up anyway."  
"I'm leaving," she pointed at him. "I'll see you later."

The sound of his laughter followed her, "Can't wait."

* * *

_**Avery's coming tonight. Be on your best behavior and drinks are on me**_

Jon tossed his phone into his bag after he read the text from Windham. Great, not only did he have to team with her, now he couldn't even enjoy his post show festivities without Avery in the way. He wasn't surprised though. Windham had given him a lecture a few weeks earlier about wanting to 'bring the family back together' or some other nonsense. He hadn't been overly concerned with the conversation but he knew his friend probably delivered the same speech to Avery and knowing her, she ate it up. She always had a soft spot for Win, she thought of him like a big, furry teddy bear.

He started toward the GP. Their tag match was up next. He still didn't understand the logic behind combining their two matches. Colby was right, it would have made more sense to team him up with Joe against Orton and Show. He had a feeling that something was up but he couldn't dwell on it too much. If that was true, he would find out soon enough. For now, he just had to get through the next two shows. He heard Paige's music start and he arrived just as the Brit was going through the curtain. Show was waiting to go out next. Avery was there as well, shaking out her arms and bouncing on the balls of her feet.

"Ready to do this A-Town?" he sidled up next to her, hands in his pockets.

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye, "You know when Joe calls me that, it doesn't bother me at all. But when you say it, it just makes me want to punch you square in the face."

"Avery, is there ever a time when you _don't_ want to punch me in the face?" he asked.

She smirked, crossing her arms, "You make a good point."

She looked away when Show's music started and Jon eyed her, confused. Every ounce of her was normally tense when he was around. Tonight, she didn't look to be. She actually didn't seem entirely disturbed by his presence. He pressed his hand against her forehead.

"Why are you touching me?" she deadpanned, looking up at him.

"You must be sick," Jon feigned concerned. "You haven't threatened to kill me or anything."

She pushed his hand away with a stinging smack and then smiled sweetly at him, "There. Is that better?"

"It is," he shook his wrist where she hit him. "That's my Avery."

She made a disgusted face and then the opening bars of her entrance music, Raise Hell by DOROTHY, started playing. She smiled, grabbing her ponytail and pulling it tight, "That's my cue."

He heard the crowd pop when they saw her and he smiled in spite of himself. There was still a small part of him that couldn't help but be proud of her. Despite their issues, he still considered her to be one of the most talented people in the business. She was more compelling to watch than any other 'Diva' and half of the men, if he was being honest.

When his own music started, he walked through the curtain, smiling as the crowd roared. He loved the energy he got from the crowds when he was with The Shield but the feeling of coming out alone and seeing the fans go wild, it was entirely different. He couldn't get enough of it.

Avery was standing on the ring apron and he walked up the steps, stopping beside her. He held the ropes open for her and she climbed in, heading straight at Paige. He rushed over, wrapping an arm around her waist, lifting her up and turning them so that she had her back to the corner. He walked her to the corner and then held the ropes, trapping her in.

"Ready to put on a show?" he smiled at her.

She crawled through the ropes, standing on the ring apron, "I'm always ready."

* * *

Paige squeezed a towel around the ends of her hair, trying her best to drown out the sound of Eva and Brie talking. Brie she liked but Eva was a different story. She found the redhead endlessly irritating. Eva was talking about hair dye or something equally pointless and Brie somehow seemed to be paying attention. Paige nearly jumped for joy when she saw CJ come into the room, pulling bobby pins out of her bun.

The blonde dropped a handful of pins into the garbage before plopping down onto the couch and kicking off her heels.

"I've told you, you shouldn't just throw them away," Paige smirked. "It's wasteful."

"I get a strange satisfaction from it," The blonde shrugged, tossing another batch into the garbage. She looked around the room before turning her gaze back to Paige, "Where's Avery?"

"Shower," Paige pointed over her shoulder.

CJ nodded, "I watched your match."

"And?" Paige waited for her friend to continue, wondering if they were thinking the same thing.

"Don't tell her I said this," CJ's voice was barely above a whisper, her hazel eyes excited. "But she and Jon are kind of great together."

"That's what I was thinking!" Paige agreed. It wasn't like she expected them to start fighting in the middle of the match, they were both professionals after all, but they played off of each other surprisingly well. The guys had agreed the match should be more about the girls since theirs was the more defined feud. Most of the match, Jon had been trying to help Avery get her anger under control. It was actually pretty funny and the crowd seemed to love it. There wasn't the slightest bit of tension between them. They actually smiled at each other. "It freaked me out."

"You and me both," CJ laughed. "How was it when they came backstage?"

"Cold as ice," Paige answered. "Back to normal."

"I'm not sure if _normal_ is an appropriate word for them," CJ supposed.

"For who?"

Paige hadn't heard the shower stop running but Avery came into the room, wrapped in a towel.

"TJ and Nattie," CJ lied.

"Yeah, their relationship is a little weird," Avery agreed.

"Will you two be ready to go soon?" Paige asked. "_I_ am ready for a drink."

"There's no way I can get out of this, is there?" Avery asked. "You know, I am starting to feel a little under the weather."

"Don't even try it," Paige shook a finger at her. "You told Win you were coming, you can't back out now."

"It'll be fun," CJ insisted, her tone encouraging. "Like old times."

* * *

"Exactly how many Hawaiian shirts do you own?" Jon asked, pointing the neck of his beer bottle at Windham.

"I have no idea," Windham shrugged. "But I'll tell you this, I'm certain it's more comfortable than working in skintight jeans and tank tops every night."

"My jeans are not skin tight," Jon insisted.

"That's not what the fan girls say."

Jon recognized Paige's accent and turned to see her leading Avery and CJ to their table.

"Ladies!" Aaron stood, smiling and holding his arms out wide. He hugged each of them tightly, lifting them off their feet. Paige took the empty seat between Joe and Aaron and CJ sat between Jon and Win. There wasn't another chair so Colby got up, guiding Avery into his seat before going to grab an extra.

"I'm going for another round," Aaron announced. "What can I get for the ladyfolk?"

"Vodka, obviously," CJ used her 'Lana' accent.

"Jameson and ginger," Paige answered.

"Avery?" Aaron waited.

"Just water, thanks," she smiled.

"Water and…?" he gestured for her to continue.

Avery could outdrink just about everyone at the table and she had many times. She never ordered water alone.

"Just water," she laughed. "I'm driving in the morning. Can't be hung over."

Aaron looked puzzled but he headed toward the bar anyway.

"Ask the bartender if they have any spirit rejuvenating tea," Jon suggested.

"Go fuck yourself," Avery looked at him for the first time since she sat down. She had this way of saying the worst things to him with the sweetest smile. It annoyed the hell out of him.

Colby returned with a chair and sat it next to Avery. He gave Jon a firm look and Jon shrugged. Everyone was always telling him to be on his best behavior. No one ever said anything to her.

"You two really make me a believer in true love and harmony," Windham said, his tone dry.

"It's like watching a Disney movie," Joe rolled his eyes.

The conversation shifted to the group trying to decide which Disney princess each of the girls would be. Paige was very annoyed when Joe suggested that she would be Snow White.

"No cameras today P?" Colby asked, draping his arm over the back of Avery's chair.

"They're with Eva tonight," Paige smiled happily.

"That explains why she was at the show," Joe laughed. "Gotta make it look like she actually works here."

"Does she even know how to take a bump?" Colby asked. "I saw her try once and it actually hurt me to watch."

"Cut her some slack, she's trying her best," Jon spoke up, his eyes on Avery. She rolled her eyes so hard he thought they might get stuck. He didn't actually have an opinion on Eva Marie one way or another but he knew Avery didn't like her and that was good enough for him.

Aaron returned with a tray of drinks, walking around the table and doling them out like a server.

"I said just water," Avery laughed when he gave her a glass of water and a shot.

"It's one shot, it's not gonna hurt you," Aaron patted her on the head. "Besides, it's for the toast."

"What toast?" Colby laughed.

"A toast to all of us," Aaron explained. "I'm not sure you guys realize this but this group right here, every one of us, has been on every episode of Raw and Smackdown for the last month. We're taking over kids."

Jon looked around the table and smiled. He hadn't actually realized that fact until Aaron said it.

"To the new generation," Aaron held up his glass.

"Aren't you older than all of us?" Paige teased.

Aaron tapped his glass against hers, "Shutup and drink."

* * *

Avery glared at Aaron when he brought her another shot. He knew her well enough to know that if he kept bringing them, she'd keep drinking them. Many a night, they'd been the last two standing.

"Come on, man," she whined, picking up the glass.

"Love you," he laughed, holding up his own shot. She downed the shot of tequila with him before cringing, turning in to Colby, who laughed, patting her on the back. The shot was extremely warm, like it was stored in way too high of a temperature. It burned unpleasantly going down. When she sat up straight, Windham handed her his beer and she took a swig, grateful to get rid of the warm tequila taste.

"I'm gonna kick your ass," she pointed at Aaron.

"I'm done now, I promise," he laughed, putting his hand over his heart. "Nothing but water."

She laughed, opening a new straw for her glass of ice water. She blew into one end, sending the rest of the wrapper flying at the side of Aaron's head. She'd still had a lot more water than alcohol so she was doing okay, hovering just above being buzzed. She'd be fine as long as Aaron stuck to his word and stopped bringing her shots.

"Having a good time?" Windham asked her quietly, confident smile on his face.

She smiled appreciatively at him. He was right. She had missed being with the whole crew. She'd let Jon have them all to himself for far too long. _Thank you_, she mouthed to her friend and Windham smiled, stroking his beard like a mad genius.

She heard a bit of a commotion near the door and when she looked to see what was happening, she was shocked to see Nikki walking into the bar. She looked like a fish out of water walking into the dive bar clad in super tight black leather pants, a white peplum top, and Louis Vuitton heels. In comparison, Avery was wearing a Sami Zayn shirt, shorts, and flip flops.

"Well this is interesting," Joe finished his Crown and Coke, looking amused. Everyone else at the table looked a little apprehensive, except for CJ who was well on her way to tipsy and didn't even seem to notice the other woman.

Avery got up, meeting her friend halfway, "Hey Nik."

"Hey girl," Nikki smiled, pulling her into a hug.

"What are you doing here?" Avery asked.

"I asked where you were," Nikki shrugged.

Nikki had texted her right when they got to the bar and Avery answered with the name of the place but she hadn't looked at her phone since. Avery had no idea she was going to show up. She didn't mind though, she just wasn't entirely sure of how the overdressed Bella twin would integrate into the group.

"I was feeling restless and John went to bed early," Nikki explained, hooking her arm through Avery's. Avery had a feeling there was a little more to it than that but she could tell that Nikki didn't feel like talking about it yet. She didn't mind being a distraction. She pulled the brunette over to the bar, "I wouldn't recommend anything mixed. This is more of a beer and shot place."

"Duly noted," Nikki nodded as the bartender came over to take their order. "I got you a present."

"What?" Avery frowned, confused. "What kind of a present? Why?"

"You'll see," Nikki smiled playfully.

"Nicole," Avery said in a warning tone but Nikki simply shrugged, picking up her drink. Avery grabbed her water and the beers she ordered for Win and Colby, leading their new arrival to the table. Colby had already squeezed in another chair next to Avery.

"Hi everyone," Nikki smiled, waving as she sat down. "Sorry to crash your party."

"No problem at all," Aaron said, unabashedly staring at her chest. Nikki didn't seem to notice but Avery balled up a napkin and tossed it at him. He snapped out of his trance, continuing what he was saying before the women sat, "I can't believe you guys haven't noticed that my action figures all look like smarmy assholes. I swear, I do not make that face when I go in for the scan."

"You look like a smarmy asshole right now so I'm pretty sure it's accurate," Joe laughed.

"He has a point," Colby laughed. "I mean, they didn't give you the Sandow character because you look so kind and humble."

"Whatever, we can't all be a dashing Samoan prince," Aaron tossed the napkin Avery had thrown at him.

"For the longest time, they still sold Bella Twins with the same size boobs, way after I got the surgery," Nikki chimed in. "Eventually people started to complain, which, if you think about it, is absolutely terrifying."

Everyone laughed and Avery was relieved. She should've known Nikki would be fine.

"All of the original Shield figures made us look like no neck monsters," Colby laughed. "They were terrible but I still freaked out like a little kid when I first saw them."

"I have zero complaints," Jon spoke. "I got packaged with Jake Roberts. Jake _fucking_ Roberts."

"That is pretty bad ass," Windham tapped his beer against Jon's. "At first, I thought they were gonna package me with my dad."

As everyone started talking about the first time they saw their action figures, Avery was listening intently until Nikki nudged her leg. Avery was in the middle of a sip of water and nearly choked when she saw what Nikki wanted her to see. Randy Orton was walking into the bar, trailed by Cody Runnels, Joe Hennig, and Mike Mizanin.

Nikki smiled triumphantly, "You're welcome."

Avery looked around the table, hoping that no one else had noticed yet. No such luck, everyone, again with the exception of CJ, looked tense. There were definitely no Randy Orton fans at the table.

Avery took a long, deep breath, "Thanks."

* * *

"Why exactly did we come to this dump?" Mike made a face as the men found a table.

"I don't think they have air conditioning," Joe made a face. "How do you not have AC in Louisiana?"

Randy shrugged, "I wanted to do something different."

When Nikki told him this place was a dive, she wasn't kidding. When he pulled out his chair, it seemed to be stuck to the ground.

"Like hepatitis different?" Cody laughed.

"Quit being prissy and sit down," Randy said. "Everything's on me."

"Suddenly this place became much more palatable," Mike laughed, pulling out his own chair and plopping down.

"Hell yeah, you think they have bottle service?" Joe joked.

"I'm gonna guess there aren't any servers here," Randy laughed. "I'll go to the bar. What do you want?"

Once he had all of their drink orders, Randy headed over to the bar. He tried not to outright stare in Avery's direction but it wasn't easy. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so drawn to a person. When he sought her out during the show, he really had just wanted to talk but once he saw her, the urge to touch her had overwhelmed his senses.

He leaned on his elbow, looking at her table in his periphery while he waited for a bartender. She was sitting between Nikki and Colby Lopez and they all seemed to be laughing at Paige who was telling a very animated story. She looked in his direction and he offered a small smile and then looked down at the empty stool next to him, hoping she would get his hint. After a few seconds, she excused herself from the table and walked over to the bar, keeping the stool between them.

He turned, leaning both elbows on the bar, "Does anybody work here? I haven't seen a bartender."

"There were two earlier," She looked around, perplexed. "They're not the most attentive though. I'm sure they'll pop up eventually. Just make sure you order a few drinks at a time."

"Thanks for the tip," he smirked, taking in the sight of her long legs. "How's your night going?"

"Pretty well," she smiled, unfolding a cocktail napkin. She looked up at him, smiling, "How's yours?"

"It's looking up," he answered, his gaze returning to her face.

The corner of her mouth tilted up, "So what brings you to this fine establishment?"

"Well, I was going to just head to Lake Charles tonight but some of the guys wanted to go out. Nikki suggested I come here," he answered.

"And she told you I'd be here?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Why else would I be here?" he returned.

She laughed, her cheeks a bit flushed.

"Why don't you come over to my table? I'll buy you a drink if the bartenders ever show," he offered.

She shook her head, grimacing, "I don't think that'll go over terribly well."

"Yeah, we don't exactly have a lot of mutual friends, do we?" he looked over at her table.

The bartender finally came through a door behind the bar, holding a damp rag. He started wiping down the area between Randy and Avery, not acknowledging his earlier disappearance, "What can I get y'all?"

Randy let Avery order first and then as the older man set about his work, he moved just slightly closer to her, "I know this is a little backwards but..I don't even have your phone number."

She laughed, "That is a little weird.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and noticed her looking over her shoulder before she recited it to him.

He laughed, "You don't have to worry. I won't tell if you won't."

* * *

Jon laughed as Colby told the story about the time they nearly got arrested after getting pulled over for speeding. The cop was going to let them go but Jon was in a terrible mood after the finish of their match got botched that night and wouldn't stop arguing with the guy. Colby and Joe ended up having to sign some autographs and promising to duct tape Jon's mouth shut. Jon didn't have much of a defense for that particular incident. He tended to let his temper get the best of him. He looked around, waiting for Avery to chime in. She had several stories of her own about the two of them getting pulled over. When he found her seat empty, he remembered that she'd gotten up earlier to get drinks. He glanced toward the bar and, unsurprisingly considering the service so far, she was still waiting. What did surprise Jon was who she was standing with. He saw Randy when he came in, everyone did, but he didn't notice him going over to the bar. They were both facing the bar while the bartender moved around, slow as molasses. He could tell they were talking though. Randy said something and Avery laughed, her shoulders moving.

Jon frowned at the sight. Since when did they know each other? As far as Jon knew, they'd never actually spoken. Randy didn't really acknowledge anyone that he didn't have to. That was one of the many reasons that he and Jon didn't get along. They were like oil and water and had been from the moment they started working together. Randy was an entitled ass and thought he could do and say whatever he wanted. A lot of other people tolerated that sort of thing. Jon did not. The night that Joe ended up with staples after a match with Randy, Jon had nearly come to blows with the so called Viper. Joe, bleeding and all, had to be the one to pull him out of the locker room.

"What's taking her so long?" he looked over at Paige and then nodded to the bar.

Paige followed his gaze and then shrugged, "How should I know?"

"Because you're her keeper?" Jon suggested.

"Bartender probably wandered off again," Windham suggested. "He's back now. I'm sure she won't be long."

"Yeah," Jon finished off his beer, unconvinced. He and Avery weren't on great terms but he still didn't want Orton bothering her. "I'm gonna go see if she needs some help."

"You _are_?" Paige gave him a puzzled look.

He ignored her question and sauntered over to the bar, planting himself on the stool between Randy and Avery.

"Everything okay over here?" he asked Avery, resting his elbows on the bar.

Her brow furrowed and her eyes took on a wary glare, "Yeah…Why?"

Leave it to his ex to not appreciate him coming to help her.

"I just thought you might need some help," he shrugged.

"It's just a couple beers, I'm fine," she said, still eyeing him.

"I can help if she needs anything," Randy piped up. "I'm already waiting."

Jon turned to Randy. There wasn't a more punchable face in the business than Randy Orton. Jon smirked, "I can handle it. You can head on back to your friends."

Randy looked amused, nodding to the bartender, "Still waiting for drinks. Like I said, I have to stand here anyway."

The old barkeep finished the last of his drinks and then placed 3 beer bottles in front of Avery. He announced a total to no one in particular.

Avery gave him an apologetic smile, "It's actually supposed to be separate."

"Don't worry about it," Randy tossed a black card onto the bar.

The old man perked up a bit as he grabbed the card and Jon rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to do that," Avery looked up at Randy.

"I don't mind," he assured her.

"We owe you later," she suggested.

Jon shook his head, pulled out his wallet, took out a crumpled twenty and tossed it on the bar in front of Randy, "There. We're all good now, right?"

He was looking at Randy but he could feel the annoyed look Avery was giving him. He didn't care. She could thank him later.

"Sure Ambrose," Randy laughed, signing his credit receipt and then picking up his drinks. He looked over Jon's shoulder, smiling at Avery, "Have a good night."

Jon moved to block the other man's view of his ex and Randy laughed, walking away.

Once he was finally gone, Jon turned to Avery, picking up one of the beers, "So..what were you two crazy kids talking about?"

"Nothing," Avery said quickly, turning to ask the bartender for another glass of water.

"You were talking about nothing?" Jon smirked, taking a drink.

"Why are you asking what we were talking about?" she asked, crossing her arms, her head cocked to the side.

"Curiosity," he shrugged. "Why don't you wanna answer me?"

"Because I never really _want_ to talk to you," she answered. "It just happens sometimes. Why did you come over here?"

"I saw Orton bothering you, figured I would help," he shrugged.

"By acting like an ass?" she smirked.

"I was as nice as that guy deserves," Jon said, taking a drink. "You know how he is."

"I don't actually," she shrugged, drinking some of her water. "I don't know him at all."

"Well you don't need to," Jon looked over his shoulder at Randy's table. Randy was watching the two of them, which just annoyed Jon further.

"Hey, are you coming back or what?!" CJ yelled and Avery laughed, gathering up the beers.

"Come on, let's get back," Avery said. "They'll think we're fighting again."

* * *

Avery returned to her chair, handing Colby and Windham their beers.

"What happened to mine?" Aaron held out his arms, looking offended.

"Ask him," Avery pointed at Jon as he walked back to his own seat.

Jon feigned surprise, "I thought this was mine."

He met Avery's eyes as he sat down, winking at her.

Avery rolled her eyes, resting her chin on her hand, her attention drawn away when Nikki touched her arm.

"So what were you and Randy talking about?" Nikki asked quietly.

"Nothing," Avery shook her head. "Jon came over and started acting all weird and that pretty much ended the conversation."

Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out, seeing that she had a text from a number she didn't have programmed.

_What are you drinking? I'll send something over._

She looked over at Randy's table and found him looking back at her.

She smiled, typing out a response

_**I'm not really drinking tonight. I'm driving in the morning.**_

_One drink won't hurt you_

_**Famous last words. Trying to get me drunk?**_

_I don't think I need to do that_

_**Very cocky**_

_You have no idea_

Avery was glad that Nikki was distracted, talking to Aaron. She knew if her friend was paying her any attention, she would have been reading her texts over her shoulder. She smirked as she typed out her next response.

_**Oh yeah? Prove it**_

She looked over at Randy, waiting to see his reaction. He looked down at his phone and then up at her, looking surprised. She was teasing obviously but she gave him a challenging look anyway, shrugging and taking a sip of her water. She was certain that there was no way he would do what she was thinking.

Much to her surprise, he got up, excusing himself from his table. He shot her a smirk as he walked toward the bathroom. Avery wasn't convinced. He was totally bluffing.

"You okay?" Colby's voice drew her focus away from Randy.

She looked up at her friend, "Yeah, I'm good. Why?"

"You're usually the one telling me to get off my phone," he reminded her. Colby did usually have his eyes locked on his phone; it was one of his more annoying habits. Avery had actually taken to hiding the damn thing when she wanted his full attention.

"I was just texting Ashley," Avery lied, putting the phone face down on her lap. "Sorry."

"No big deal," he smiled at her.

Avery focused on Windham's voice, trying to get back into the conversation at the table. Colby was right, she hated when people spent all of their time on their phones. A few minutes later, she felt her phone buzz and she picked it up, seeing that she had a picture message from Randy. She leaned back in her chair before she opened it. When she unlocked her screen and opened the picture, her jaw dropped. She couldn't believe he actually did it. And she had to admit, his moxie wasn't the only impressive thing about it. She could understand why he wasn't shy about it.

"Is Ashley okay?" Colby asked, surveying her shocked expression.

"Yeah," Avery nodded. "She's _great_."

She bit her lip to keep a giggle from erupting, hoping her cheeks weren't getting red. This wasn't her first dick pic. It wasn't even her first from a co-worker. She was just surprised he did it.

Nikki tapped Avery on the shoulder and then leaned in, whispering, "Okay, who are you _actually_ talking to? Because it's not Ashley."

Avery typed out a text, telling Nikki about the picture.

Nikki gasped out loud when she read it, looking over at her, "Seriously? Can I see it?"

"Nicole!" Avery whispered back to her.

"What?" Nikki looked as though her request was the most innocent thing in the world.

"No you can't see it," Avery laughed.

Nikki crossed her arms, giving her a look.

"Well not right now at least," Avery laughed.

Her phone buzzed again and she kept her phone close as her nosy friend tried to read her text.

_You look a little flustered. Maybe you should go splash some water on your face._

She looked up at him and his blue eyes shifted toward the bathroom and then back to her.

She knew what he was thinking and somewhere in the back of her mind was a tiny voice telling her that it was a bad idea. She was with her friends and her ex, all of whom just so happened to hate him. She barely knew him herself. Still, she was incredibly attracted to Randy. He was distractingly sexy and there was no way she could just sit there and pretend he wasn't just across the bar. This was all Nikki's fault.

"I'll be right back," she announced to no one in particular.

"Are you going to the bar?" CJ asked, slurring slightly.

"No honey, bathroom," Avery laughed. She looked at Windham and Colby, "No more alcohol for her please."

"I'm on it," Windham raised his beer as she walked away. She strolled past Randy's table, careful to avoid looking at him.

She was barely inside the bathroom door when it opened behind her. Randy gave her a devilish smile, "I didn't think it would be so easy to make you blush."

"What can I say? You surprised me," she smirked, reaching past him and locking the door behind him.

"It was your idea," he shrugged, taking a step closer to her.

"So you're just gonna go along with all of my ideas?" she asked as he took another step, backing her against the wall.

"I guess that depends on what your ideas are," he said, leaning close to her.

Throwing all caution to the wind, Avery grabbed the front of Randy's shirt and kissed him. His response was passionate. She felt his hand on the side of her neck and his tongue at the seam of her lips, teasing her mouth open. She slid her hand under his shirt, her fingertips sliding over warm skin and rigid muscles. A low growl emanated from him and he pressed himself into her, molding their bodies together. Avery felt a familiar heat at her core as he pulled up the hem of her shirt and undid the top button of her shorts. He trailed his kisses down to her neck, reaching around her back. He dipped his hand inside her shorts, squeezing her ass and lifting her up, keeping her back pressed against the wall. She wrapped her legs around him, pulling him in even closer. When his lips left her neck, she immediately craved their return. His thumb guided her eager mouth back to his and she kissed him deeply, gripping at his shirt. Kissing Randy was intoxicating. Avery felt like her head was spinning in the most pleasant of ways. He relaxed his grip just slightly and she put her legs down, standing on shaky feet. He started pulling up her shirt again, flashing her that charming grin.

"Avery!"

They both froze and the sound of Colby's voice, muffled by the door, managed to make it through their haze.

"You okay?" he knocked on the door. "You've been gone for a while."

Randy moved down, kissing the skin he'd exposed, just below her bra.

"I-I'm fine," Avery gripped the side of the sink, not trusting her knees to keep her up. Randy kissed and nipped at her skin and she tilted her head back, trying her best to keep her breathing normal.

"You sure?" Colby asked.

"Mmhmm," she reluctantly tried to push Randy away. She couldn't think clearly with him in that position. He obviously knew that and showed no signs of stopping.

"I'm fine Col," she breathed. "Just uh..lady problems."

"Ah, got it," Colby laughed.

Randy moved away, looking up at her, his eyes dancing with amusement.

She glared at him, holding a finger to his lips.

"You want me to send Paige?" her friend offered outside the door.

"No, no, I'll be fine," she insisted. "I'll be right out."

"Alright," Colby sounded unsure. Fortunately, he wasn't curious enough to stick around and Avery could hear him make his exit.

"Lady problems?" Randy laughed, standing to his full height once Colby was gone.

"Shhhh," she laughed, covering his mouth. "Someone's gonna figure out you're in here."

"Then we'll both just have to be quiet," he said, gently pulling her hand away. "We don't have to stop."

"Yes we do," she said, though she couldn't even convince herself. She took a deep breath and tried to clear her head, "If we're both away from our friends much longer, they're gonna figure it out."

"So?" he shrugged.

She gave him a stern look and he sighed, putting his hands on his hips, "What the hell do I have to do to get you alone?"

The urgency in his voice turned her on almost as much as his touch.

"We'll just have to figure something out," she laughed, buttoning her shorts. "At least you have my phone number now."

"Yeah, at least I have that," he ran a hand over his close cropped hair. He looked like he was having the same struggle with self-control that she was.

"You go first," she instructed. "I'll leave a minute after."

"You do this often?" he smirked.

"I'm not answering that," she laughed.

"Fair enough," he laughed. "I'll go, but this is not over."

"I certainly hope it isn't," she smiled.

He pulled her close, planting another kiss on her, sending her reeling just as her thoughts were starting to return to normal. When he pulled away, he smiled, "I'll see you later."

She nodded, unlocking the door. He walked out and she let out a long, slow breath.

She put her hands on the sink, looking at herself in the mirror, trying to figure out what the hell she was doing. She hadn't felt this drawn to anyone since…well, since Jon.

Yes, Randy was incredibly sexy but she had told herself she was going to keep her hand out of the company cookie jar. Her relationship with Jon had ended in disaster and she wasn't sure things would ever be back to normal between her and Claudio again. She had been on the main roster for months, working around Randy every week. What happened after one stupid party that rendered her unable to think with her big brain when he was around?

She turned on the cold water and leaned down, splashing some on her face. She needed to get back. She dried her face and then walked out of the bathroom.

She walked back toward the table, moving quickly past Randy and his friends.

"Hey," Nikki smiled when she saw her. Then, the brunette got up, meeting her halfway to the table and wrapping her arms around her in a dramatic hug, rubbing her hand over the top of Avery's head. Apparently she'd gotten a little drunker since Avery last saw her.

"You okay?" Avery laughed, patting her friend on the back.

"I'm great," Nikki whispered, sounding totally sober. "Someone didn't check the mirror before they left the bathroom."

"Thanks," Avery smiled as Nikki pulled away from the hug.

"You're welcome," Nicole smiled. "For many reasons."

* * *

_Monday…_

Jon drummed his thumb against his knee, tapping his heel against the ground, unable to hide his annoyance. He and Colby had been at the gym when they got a text to show up at the arena a half hour earlier than normal. They dropped what they were doing and headed over only to find out that since Randy Orton wasn't in the building yet, their meeting with Paul and one of the writers would have to wait. Now they were sitting in a small office, twiddling their thumbs.

Jon couldn't say he arrived on time for _everything_ in his life but when it came to meetings like this, he showed up. Maybe it had something to do with the fact that he wasn't an entitled asshole. He was anxious to know what the company was planning on doing with him now that his feud with Windham was over. He didn't want to end up spinning his wheels like some of the other guys on the roster.

"Gentlemen," the door opened and Paul walked in with Randy a few steps behind. He was wearing a pair of sunglasses and didn't even bother taking them off when Paul closed the door.

"Hey," Colby, always the model employee, stood up. Hunter patted him on the shoulder.

"Thanks for making time for us," Jon stood, looking at Randy.

"Don't mention it," Randy smirked, walking past Jon and sitting down on the chair he'd just left. "I had an appearance that ran late. You both know how that goes."

Colby nodded and Jon put his hands in his pockets, waiting for someone to tell him why he was still there.

"Okay, I'll make this quick since we got a late start," Paul explained, leaning against the desk. "We're picking up the feud between you two going into Survivor Series. "

Jon's shoulders relaxed a bit and Colby tapped him on the arm.

"This is gonna be a main event angle," Paul explained. "We're talking about doing something huge at Survivor Series. It's not finalized, so I won't go into the details just yet but trust me, you want to be involved. And we're trusting you guys to make the most of it this opportunity."

"You don't have to worry about that," Jon smiled. "We will."

"What exactly does this have to do with me?" Randy asked, sounding tremendously annoyed.

"You're a part of The Authority," Paul explained. "And you'll be involved in this. Especially at the pay-per-view. You'll be on Team Authority."

About 10 minutes later, Paul had explained his plan for the next few weeks and Jon was feeling a lot better than he was when he first arrived. He and Colby had always felt that their feud never got a proper payoff and it was good to know that the powers that be realized the mistake. They were putting a lot of responsibility on the former Shield members' shoulders and Jon was more than ready for the challenge. When they were done, Randy stayed behind, to complain no doubt, while Colby and Jon exited the office.

"Main eventing Survivor Series?" Colby smiled as they headed toward the locker room. "Not bad, my friend. Not bad at all."

Jon laughed, "The Shield strikes again."

"You think we can somehow get Joe involved?" Colby laughed. "We'll have a full on reunion."

"Joe isn't gonna have any problem getting into main events," Jon laughed. "But I think he's had enough working with Orton for now."

"Speaking of Orton," Colby sighed. "You think you could try not to be so hostile with him? We do have to work with him."

"I'll work with him," Jon shrugged. "As far as being less hostile? I don't make promises I can't keep."


	7. Acquainted

"Bye guys, have fun tonight!" Avery waved as she tore herself away from the crowd of fans. When they got to the arena, Paige had to rush off to film Total Divas and Avery lagged behind, signing autographs for a group of fans that looked like they'd been waiting all day for someone to acknowledge them. They were adorable. Two teenage girls in particular were wearing old BWA shirts and looked over the moon to see her. One had a sign that said 'BEST IN THE WORLD' in purple glitter paint with her pictures. The other's sign said 'Rebel Diva – Next Champ'. Avery originally thought it was silly when the company started calling her that but when she saw the way that young girls took to it she started to like it herself. She took a selfie with the fans and signed their posters, promising to tweet the pictures before the show. As she made her way inside, she scrolled through the contacts on her phone, finding Kevin's number.

"Well hello," she said when she heard him answer.

"Finally," Kevin sounded gruff. They had been playing a pretty epic game of phone tag for the last few days. There were probably 12 missed calls between them. She knew he was crazy busy, having reported to the WWE Performance Center just 2 weeks earlier. She was thrilled that he was finally there. The day he called to tell her he signed, she'd cried like a baby and he made fun of her for days. She didn't care though. She was proud of her friend. He was so incredibly talented and he had worked so hard for so long. She was absolutely certain that he would be in the main event in no time.

"How's my favorite soon to be NXT Champion?" she asked.

"Avery, I haven't even debuted yet," he laughed. "Next month."  
"I don't care," she shrugged, checking in with security. "You're gonna be so over it'll be impossible for them not to throw the belt at you. Paul knows what he's doing."

In the time that she'd been working with Paul Levesque, she'd come to really trust him and his opinions. He'd allowed her a lot of control over the development of her character, only suggesting small tweaks here and there that she usually appreciated. He gave her a lot of rope.

"I'm pretty sure Rami's gonna get it first," Kevin reminded her. "He's been here a lot longer than me."

"I love Rami but I love you more."

"Ram, Avery says she doesn't love you anymore," Kevin said loudly.

"Aww, that hurts," she could hear Rami's voice in the background.

"Hey! That is not what I said," she insisted.

"Funny, that's what I heard."

"Jerk," she laughed. "Where are you guys?"

"In the gym," Kevin responded. "How's the smile practice going?"

Avery rolled her eyes, following the signs to the women's locker room. Avery had only recently become a babyface after years of playing the heel for the bulk of her career. After her first raw as a true face, Kevin had texted her to tell her she needed to practice smiling. Apparently her smile kept slipping into a smirk and, according to him, it made her look sneaky. When she watched the match the next day she realized he was totally right. She was teaming with AJ and it looked like she was going to turn on her every time she was on camera. Six weeks later, she felt much more confident in the new role. She still thought it was more fun to be bad but she was getting into a good groove.

"Paul told me it's working," she answered.

"Well he's lying," Kevin said. "You look as shifty as ever."

"I do not!" she argued. When she reached the locker room, she saw the Total Divas camera crew hovering outside the door. She quickly pivoted and headed in the other direction before Nikki or Paige could grab her.

"Fine, you don't," Kevin relented. "You've actually been doing really well. You're pretty good at this stuff, you know?"

"I like to think I am," she agreed. "I was even able to work with Jon without killing him this weekend."

"Jon Good?" he laughed. "Why the hell were you working with him?"

"Some karmic punishment for something," she shrugged. "Our time got cut so I had to tag with him against Paige and Show."

"He didn't upset you, did he?" Kevin's tone changed. He was slipping into big brother mode. To say he wasn't fond of Jon after their breakup would be a gross understatement.

"No, it was fine," she assured him. "It was weird."

"Weird how?" he sounded wary.

How many different types of weird could apply to wrestling as a tag team with one's ex-boyfriend? It was a pretty specific thing. She shouldn't have even brought it up.

"Just _weird_, I don't know, I don't wanna talk about it anymore," she waved it off despite the fact that he couldn't see it. "I was distracted anyway."

"Distracted by what?"

"Nothing important," she answered quickly.

"It is important if it's distracting you from work," he argued.

She certainly wasn't about to tell him about Randy. The last thing she needed was a lecture about staying away from guys in the business and keeping her mind on her work. He'd given her quite a few over the years.

"Just..stress," she answered. "I'm just working on some new stuff and it's got me worried. That's all."

"Well when you're home, we'll go over it," he offered. "Don't stress about it."

"I'll try," she smiled.

"Don't try, _do_," he advised. "I gotta get back to this workout. My new boss thinks I'm fat."

"Okay, kiss Jess and the kids. Tell Rami I do in fact love him and you're just a dirty liar," she requested.

"I'll do some of those," he laughed. "See you soon."

* * *

_1 Hour Later…_

Randy strolled slowly through the wardrobe area, trying to be nonchalant as he looked around for Avery. He put his hands in his pockets, surveying the all of the people hustling around to prepare for the Raw. Superstars had already begun taping and the main show was due to start soon. He was supposed to be in the show's open but he wanted to catch Avery before they both got too busy. She'd been on his mind all day. He couldn't stop thinking about what might have happened in that bathroom if Lopez hadn't interrupted them.

When he finally caught sight of her, she was in the area where the divas got their hair and makeup done. She was leaning close to the mirror, one eye closed as she carefully put on eyeliner. JoJo was beside her, one of the hairstylist's brushing her hair up into a ponytail. Randy hung back, leaning against a nearby trunk. He hadn't actually spoken to JoJo since the failed attempt to hook them up and this wasn't really the time to chat. He waited while Avery applied mascara to her already thick lashes. When she put the tube down, her hazel orbs finally caught sight of him in the mirror. A smile spread across her face as she picked up lipstick with one hand, the other holding up a finger to let him know she'd be done in a minute. He didn't mind waiting. He wouldn't get tired of looking at her. She was wearing a pair of tight, dark red jeans that were ripped at the knees and a loose fitting cropped black t-shirt. She turned around when she finished, walking in his direction, not breaking stride when she reached him. He fell into step with her, certain that they were heading for a less populated area.

She sidestepped a crew member rushing past them carrying a bunch of cables and he was acutely aware of her arm brushing against his and the scent of her perfume. It took a great amount of self-control to be this close to her without kissing her again. He understood the need for discretion though. Rumors spread through the company like wildfire and a lot of people thought that everyone else's personal life was somehow their business. He didn't want to deal with the annoyance that came with being linked to someone he worked with. But he also didn't have any intention of staying away from Avery. She tucked her hair behind one ear and when he looked over, he noticed for the first time that she had a small piercing through the rook of her ear. There was also a tattoo of a pair of brass knuckles behind her ear that he hadn't really paid attention to before. He wondered just how many tattoos she actually had. He intended to find out.

"You're in the first segment tonight, right?" she asked, drawing his mind away from carnal thoughts.

He nodded, "Perks of being a part of The Authority."

"Must be nice," she smirked.

"Oh yeah, front row seats to Paul and Steph talking for 40 minutes," Randy laughed.

"I could listen to Steph talk all night," she said. "_I_ get to be assaulted by my best friend tonight."

"That sounds fun," he smirked.

When he begun to hear the sound of her heels clicking on the concrete, he realized that they were finally far enough away from everyone.

"It actually is more fun than it sounds," she said. "I love working with Paige."

He took her hand, guiding her around a corner. She looked over her shoulder but he turned her face, capturing her lips with his. She was only caught off guard for a moment before she pulled his shirt, backing up a few feet. He let his hands roam over her sides, his fingers venturing just under her shirt. He wanted so badly to pull it off but he knew that would have to wait. It would probably be frowned upon to show up late to work because he was ravaging one of the Divas. Still, she was entrancing. He tangled his hands in her hair and she deepened the kiss appreciatively. He could feel himself losing track of time and he knew that if he went any further, he was going to get himself into trouble. He pulled himself away slowly. She moved with him, not wanting the kiss to end and he let his hand rest on the side of her neck, taking a deep breath to try and clear his focus.

She looked up at him and smiled, a giggle escaping her as she reached up, using her thumb to wipe her red lipstick away from his mouth.

"Now I'm gonna have to go back to makeup," she laughed.

"Is that a complaint?" he smirked. "Because I can leave."

"I don't think you're gonna do that," she gave him an alluring smile.

"You're probably right about that," he leaned close, his nose brushing against hers. "Come to Lafayette with me."

"I think we're all going to Lafayette," she whispered, amused.

"I meant ride with me," he laughed.

His tour bus was big and comfortable and, most importantly, private. He rarely traveled with anyone. He didn't usually work Smackdown shows but he was scheduled for the next two and he knew the divas would be on the show as well.

"I'm going with Paige and CJ," she sighed, resting her hand on his chest.

"You _could_ do that," he nodded, pursing his lips. "Or..you could come with me. We can actually have some time to ourselves."

"Yeah, so we can talk and really get to know each other, right?" she smirked.

"That's exactly what I was thinking," he smiled.

"I'll think about it," she said, though the flush in her cheeks and the way her gaze kept flickering down to his lips betrayed her. She was going to do more than just think about it.

"Just text me and let me know what you decide," he said, allowing her the illusion that she might not give in.

"I will," she ran a hand through her messy hair. "I should go."

"Me too," he nodded; glad he was still wearing pants. If he walked into the locker room in just his trunks right now he would've gotten a lot of curious looks. "You first?"

She laughed, "Sure. I'll see you later."

She turned to walk away and he couldn't resist smacking her on the ass. It looked too tempting in those tight pants. She glared at him over her shoulder and he smiled, "What? It was for good luck."

* * *

Jon slowly rolled tape around his wrists, listening as Windham ran through the promo he planned to cut that night. He could listen to Windham in full Bray Wyatt mode for days, it was endlessly entertaining. They weren't on until the third hour of the show so they had plenty of time to work out their plans for the night.

Windham slowed when he heard the beginning of Stephanie McMahon's music starting.

Jon looked over at the monitor a few feet away, watching Stephanie strut down to the ring. She was carrying the Divas Championship belt on her shoulder. He always thought that was the ugliest belt in all of wrestling. Avery used to always tell him that when she won it, she would try to convince them to redesign it.

"What are they supposed to be doin' tonight?" Windham asked, crossing his arms.

"Don't know," Jon shrugged, looking back at his tape.

The crowd let Stephanie have it and even out of the corner of his eye, Jon could see that she was eating it up. When they finally quieted down a bit, she spoke, "I know that all of you are wondering, just who I will be awarding the Divas Championship to tonight."

The crowd cheered and when Stephanie opened her mouth to speak again, she was cut off by Paige's music.

Paige made her way down to the ring looking smug.

"Stephanie," she smiled once her music stopped, walking up the ring steps. "You really don't have to make a special speech for me. It's sweet that you would want to but really, you can just give me my championship and I'll be on my way."

"Actually Paige, that won't be happening tonight," Stephanie looked annoyed.

Paige's face contorted in a mix of confusion and anger. Stephanie opened her mouth to speak again but then Avery's music started. The crowd popped as Avery made her way down to the ring. When she got into the ring, she stepped up to Paige, pulling a mic out of her back pocket, "You can't have the belt, Paige, because you didn't win it."

"You're right about that Avery," Stephanie put her arm between the two women, waiting until they each took a step back to continue. "But neither did you."

Avery's jaw clenched and she crossed her arms over her chest.

"To be clear, I don't appreciate _either_ of you coming out here and interrupting my announcement," Stephanie glared.

"Technically, I interrupted Paige," Avery said. "_She_ interrupted you."

Stephanie looked unamused and Avery shrugged, "I'm just saying."

Windham chuckled, shaking his head.

"I have watched the video countless times," Stephanie continued, still looking annoyed with Avery. "Your feet touched at the exact same time. Based on that, we can't determine a winner."

"I eliminated more people," Avery pointed out.

"I eliminated _you_," Paige argued, getting into Avery's face and pushing her back.

Avery dropped her microphone, obviously ready to fight.

"If you two don't control yourselves right now, I will push you both to the end of the line, do you understand me?"

Both women stilled but the tension was still very evident between them as Stephanie spoke.

"After a lot of thought and discussion, I have come to the only logical conclusion," Stephanie explained. "In three weeks, at Survivor Series on the WWE Network, it will be Avery Ryan versus Paige for the Divas Championship. May the best woman win."

Stephanie kept the belt on her arm as her music started and she exited the ring. Both women stared after her and Avery started to get out of the ring first. She was standing on the apron when Paige attacked, running at her and knocking her off. Paige jumped down after her, grabbing her by the hair before she could recover. She used Avery's hair to toss her into the ring steps.

"I've always found it touching how much they love beating the living daylights out of each other," Windham said as Paige laid into Avery with hard kicks before leaning down and roughly grabbing her hair, screaming in her face.

"You and I have different definitions of touching," Jon laughed. Avery weakly got to her feet, attempting to fight back but Paige got the upper hand again, headbutting Avery before whipping Avery into the security barricade. When Avery hit, she let out a violent cry. Jon knew immediately that she wasn't just selling. Something happened, she was hurt. Paige was pulled away by referees and she laughed, unwinding strands of Avery's hair from her fingers as she backed away. Jon could see her eyes flicker to her friend though. She knew too.

Windham frowned, "That did not sound good."

It wasn't. He watched as Avery got up, resisting help from officials. He could tell that she was having trouble taking a deep breath. That meant the ribs. Best case scenario they were bruised. Worst: broken. There was a tiny, nagging bit in the back of his mind that wanted to go check on her, make sure that she was okay and that she listened to the doctors; something she was never particularly good at.

He shook off the feeling. Avery wasn't his problem anymore.

* * *

Colby started walking toward gorilla after he saw Avery take that hard bump against the security barricade. At first he thought she was just doing a great sell job. Then, Paige broke away from the referees and grabbed Avery, putting her in the PTO. When he saw the angry red color of her side, he knew that it wasn't just good acting. Paige came through the curtain, her eyes wide and worried.

"Paige, we need you with Renee," one of the crew members came over to her but she wasn't paying attention, her eyes focused on the curtain as they waited for Avery to come through.

Two of the referees were helping her up the ramp but when they came through the curtain, Avery quickly slipped away from them. Colby and Paige both reached her at the same time.

"Are you alright?" Paige asked.

"I'm fine," Avery insisted, waving them both away.

"Paige," the young production assistant looked impatient.

"Go do your interview," Avery smacked her on the behind.

Paige looked unsure but turned her eyes to Colby, "Make her get checked out."

"I will," Colby promised.

Paige looked at Avery again and Avery smiled, blowing her a kiss.

As soon as Paige was out of sight, Avery blanched, leaning over, her hands on her knees, "Son of a bitch."

"Come on," he said, not surprised she'd been faking for Paige's benefit. "I'll take you to the trainer."

He didn't have to be back in front of the cameras for 20 minutes and he knew if he didn't see her there, she wouldn't go.

"Really, I'm okay," she shook her head, her pained expression betraying her.

"Oh yeah? you're okay?" Colby looped his arm around her waist, applying some pressure to her side.

"Shit," she cried out and he immediately let up. He didn't want to hurt her but wrestlers were a stubborn bunch. Sometimes they needed to be strong-armed into taking care of themselves.

"That's what I thought," he kept his arm around her, careful not to squeeze. She leaned as much of her weight as she could on him and he guided her to the trainer's office. "Is it your ribs?"

She nodded, "Yeah. It's not that bad though."

"We'll see about that," he opened the door for her.

The doctor was expecting her. He started looking at her midsection right away. After a brief examination and some particularly creative profanity from Avery, he was gently wrapping a bandage around two ice packs, having diagnosed Avery with slight bruising on her lower right ribs. He gave her some anti-inflammatory meds and a high dose of Ibuprofen.

"See, I told you it wasn't that bad," Avery made a face at Colby as the doctor finished wrapping her. He made sure to tell her not to keep them wrapped the whole night and to check back with him as soon as she arrived for Smackdown the next day.

"Take it easy, Killer," Colby advised as the doctor put her meds in a bag for her. "He didn't say you could run out of here doing cartwheels."

"Backflips?" she suggested.

"Check in with me first thing tomorrow," Dr. Amann reiterated as he handed her the bag.

She saluted him and the doctor looked wary, as he often did. He had a lot of stubborn people to deal with on a daily basis. Colby couldn't say he'd never ducked Dr. Amann when he knew something wasn't healing the way he would like. The doctor stepped out of the room and Avery adjusted her shirt.

"At least you're done for the night," Colby offered. "You can get some rest."

"I'm not counting on it," she smirked, mumbling more to herself than him.

"What's that mean?" he questioned.

"What's what mean?" she gave him that innocent look she got when she didn't want to repeat herself.

He rolled his eyes, deciding not to question it further. He got up, offering her a hand and she gingerly got down from the table.

"How do you even function in pants that tight?" he asked, as she moved a step ahead of him.

She turned to him, raising an eyebrow and looking down at his lower half, "How do you?"

* * *

Paige jumped up when Avery walked into the locker room, ice packs wrapped around her middle. She'd been so worried about hurting her friend that she flubbed her lines twice in her interview with Renee. She hated not being able to go to the doc with Avery but at least Colby was there. She knew he would get Avery to go. He'd become very good at getting her to listen. Paige felt terrible. She'd always prided herself on being safe to work with. No one had to worry when they were in the ring with her. Unfortunately, the same couldn't be said for all of the other Divas. But this time, she knew right away that she'd slipped up. The pitfall to working with her best friend was that they both had the same mentality when it came to performing and they trusted each other completely. This occasionally resulted in one of them going a little too hard. When she whipped Avery into the barricade, she pushed with more force than she usually would. She should have been more careful. This was the worst possible time for Avery to be hurt. They were both in line for a major push and, no one would confirm it yet but Paige was certain her friend was going to win her first Divas Championship very soon, provided that Paige hadn't screwed up too badly.

"How bad is it?" she asked, rushing over to her friend.

"Not bad at all," Avery assured her. "Little bruising. No big deal."

"Nothing broken?"

"Nothing broken," Avery shook her head. "Colby was my witness if you don't believe me."

Paige breathed a sigh of relief. Bruised ribs were awful but manageable. Broken ribs would have meant guaranteed time off the road.

"I'm so sorry," the Brit apologized profusely, resisting the urge to hug her. "I tossed you too hard. I should've-"

"Paige," Avery stepped in front of her, grabbing the sides of her face. "Stop. I'll be fine."

"You're sure?" Paige looked at her friend with wide eyes.

"Positive," Avery answered. "Although now that I know I have you feeling sufficiently guilty, I have something I need to tell you. You can't freak out."

Paige's eyes narrowed to slits, "What?"

"I'm gonna ride with Randy tonight," Avery smiled, letting go of her face.

"Are you joking?" Paige didn't bother to hide her disappointment.

"I don't want a lecture," Avery said. "I'm just letting you know."

"What am I supposed to tell CJ?" Paige crossed her arms, annoyed. They both loved CJ but they didn't exactly tell her all of their secrets. She was notorious for sharing things and claiming she didn't know she couldn't.

"Anything but the truth?" Avery shrugged. "I don't want anyone else to know."

"Of course you don't," Paige rolled her eyes. "Because you know that hooking up with him is a bad idea. What happened to staying away from guys in the business?"

"I'm woman enough to admit that I pretty much failed at that," Avery shrugged.

"And how exactly are you gonna have sex with all of this going on," Paige gestured to her side. "You're all wrapped up."

"Well obviously I'm gonna take this off," Avery smirked.

Paige laughed, shaking her head. She didn't think Avery was making the right decision but she knew that her mind was already made up. There was no point in trying to change it. And she wasn't drunk so an Abracadabra was off the table.

"Are you _sure_ you know what you're doing?" Paige asked.

"I'm not doing _anything_," Avery answered. "We're just having fun."

* * *

"After you."

Randy gestured for Avery to head onto the bus first. For half a second, she hesitated, wondering if she should have listened to Paige. Then she looked over at Randy and all doubt flew out the window. She walked up the steps.

"I'm not gonna get attacked by any of your rotating cast of wives, am I?" she smiled, looking around. She was tempted to lay right down on the plush leather seats to her left. She knew it wouldn't be sexy but as much as she wanted to ignore it, her side hurt. Fortunately, the painkillers were finally beginning to kick in.

"I'm pretty sure they're all gone," Randy laughed, setting down both of their gym bags. The rest of her luggage was still in the car with the girls.

He plopped down on the couch, "So, what do you think?"

She looked around the space, which was even larger than she expected. All the seats were covered in black leather and looked extremely comfortable. There was a kitchen area and a big flat screen TV, further back she could see the bedroom.

"It's great," she said, sitting down beside him, kicking off her shoes so she could put her feet up. "This is gonna sound kind of weird but I've never really minded being cramped in a car with my girls. It's fun."

"Trust me, you'll reconsider that when you get to rest those ribs in a real bed tonight," he smirked, putting his arm over the back of the couch. "How are they looking anyway?"

"They hurt but I'll live," she answered. "I've got a pretty good bruise starting."

"Better than this one?" he held up his arm, showing her his bicep. Under his black and grey tattoos she could see the start of a bruise.

"Definitely better," she shifted so that she was sitting on her heels and then pulled up the bottom of her t-shirt, showing off the dark bruise that had formed on her side. She noticed that despite the bruise, he perked up at the sight of her stomach. She worked hard on it; she certainly didn't mind the appreciation.

"You win," he smirked. "I have a bunch of ice packs if you want one."

"I iced it for a while earlier," she shook her head. "I'm good."

He rubbed his hands on his pants, looking around, surprisingly unsure.

"You want to watch a movie or something?"

Avery got the impression that he was trying his best to be a gentleman, presumably because of her injury.

"Sure, a movie sounds good. Do you have 12 Rounds 2? I've heard that's a really good one," she teased.

He laughed, "Even I don't own a copy of that."

"Well that's a pity," she sighed. "I guess we'll have to find some other form of entertainment."

She figured she was going to have to make the first move to ensure him that she would be fine. She slid her leg over his, straddling his lap. His hands instinctively ran over her thighs and up to her hips.

"We don't have to do this tonight," he said, unconvincingly. His eyes traveled over her and when she shifted just slightly forward, his hold on her hips tightened.

"Yes we do," she said quickly before pulling him forward, kissing him roughly. He groaned his approval, one of his hands sliding under her shirt and up over her back. He leaned away, pulling her shirt up and over her head, tossing it off to the side, leaving her in a thin, sheer black bra.

He kissed the side of her neck as his hands caressing her breasts through the bra, fingers teasing her nipples. She kissed and nipped at his neck, ears, whatever she could get close to. She felt him unhook the back of her bra with practiced ease but before he took it off, he stood up quickly, holding her tightly against him. Either her painkillers were working or she was too aroused to feel pain because she simply wrapped her legs around him, attaching her lips to his as he walked back to the bedroom, flinging the door open. He sat her down on the edge of the bed and she disposed of her bra, watching hungrily as he pulled off his shirt. He looked impossibly sexy and she bit her lip, getting up on her knees. He kissed her again and she could feel his erection pressing against her stomach. She brushed her hand over it, feeling its length and she felt the sharp tug of his hands in her hair. Avery felt like her entire body was on fire. She hadn't wanted anyone this badly in a very long time. She couldn't get enough of him. She just wanted him closer. She wanted him inside of her. Sensing her urgency, Randy started pushing down her pants and she did the same to him, practically ripping down the sweatpants he was wearing, leaving him in his boxers. With the way she was kneeling, her pants were stuck around her knees but she was more focused on getting him naked. Randy's tongue tangled with hers, exploring the depths of her mouth as she pulled his boxers down, allowing his hardness to spring free.

The picture he sent her didn't do it justice. He was even bigger than she expected. And thick. She curled her hand around him, squeezing gently as she slid her hand from the head to the base and back. He groaned against her lips and she pulled away from their kiss, looking down, feeling a little awestruck by every part of him. She continued her stroking until he stopped her hand, grabbing her wrist and pulling her hand away, backing her up further on the bed. He brought his lips crashing onto hers again as he crawled on top of her. He snaked his hand into her panties and she gasped as his fingers immediately found her wetness. He pushed his finger into her slowly, bringing it back up and then circling it around her clit, drawing out a loud moan. He smiled, leaning back and grabbing her pants and panties, pulling them off of her legs, bringing her ankles up to his shoulder as he discarded them. His sexy, trademark smirk in place, he grabbed her ankle, moving it over to his other shoulder, looking ravenously down between them.

He stuck just the tip inside of her and then rubbed it up and down, teasing her. She squirmed under him, closing her eyes. He leaned over her, their noses almost touching, "Open your eyes. Look at me."

It was hard to listen to him as he teased her but she dragged her eyelids open, focusing on his piercing blue gaze. He pushed inside of her with one long, slow thrust and she gasped, her back arching up off of the bed.

"Holy shit," she breathed, clenching the sheet beneath her.

He smiled down at her, "I'm gonna take that as a compliment."

"You _absolutely_ fucking should," she nodded.

She felt him slide most of the way out and then he plunged back into her, harder than before, drawing another sharp gasp from her.

"Fuck, you feel amazing," he repeated the action again and Avery rotated her hips, trying to get him as deep inside as possible. She could already feel herself turning into a moaning, writhing mess. His thrusts seemed to push deeper and faster each time and the sound of his groaning above her drove her crazy.

He shifted his position, sitting back toward his heels so his knees were under her. He gripped her hips. Pulling her up and started thrusting into her again, hitting the perfect spot.

"Fuck Randy!" she cried out as he drove into her roughly, all thoughts of being gentle with her injured body out the window.

She matched his thrusts and he dug his fingers into her hips, the force was so hard and passionate that she could feel herself quickly racing toward the cliff. Before she knew it, her orgasm was roaring through her. Her pleasured screams spurred him on as he drove into her harder and faster, calling her name when he achieved his own release.

At some point, she didn't know how long after, he was lying beside her, both of them breathing sucking in quick shallow breaths. She could feel her heart rate slowing down, her muscles feeling like jelly.

"Jesus Christ," she let out, resting her hand near his. She meant to touch his arm but she just didn't have the energy. She felt thoroughly ravaged. "We have got to do that again."

"Oh we will," Randy laughed beside her. "Trust me; I am not giving that up anytime soon."


	8. Ex's and Oh's

_Tuesday…_

_Lafayette, LA_

Avery was struggling to stay awake, her head resting against the window, feet up on the seat beside Colby. They were in the back of an SUV, heading toward the Cajundome after finishing an autograph signing. Colby was on the phone, of course, and with nothing to entertain her, there was no way she was going to stay up. She and Randy were up all night and now she was paying for it. Her thighs were sore in that strangely pleasurable way. Her ribs hurt like hell. There was nothing pleasant about that. She wasn't taking a painkiller though because it would probably make her sleep straight through the Smackdown taping. She wouldn't have changed a thing though. Actually, she would have made her call time later but it was too late for that. She was wearing her darkest sunglasses and when she closed her eyes, she felt herself beginning to drift off.

"You okay?"

She was startled when Colby clapped his hand down onto her foot.

"What? Yeah. Why?" she asked, yawning.

He raised an eyebrow, looking amused.

"I just had a really long night," she explained, reaching into the cup holder and pulling out her tea.

"Ribs made it hard to sleep?" he suggested.

"Sort of," she nodded, taking a sip of tea.

"Do you have a match tonight?"

She nodded, "Me and Foxy as far as I know."

"Have fun with that," he made a face.

Colby had been avoiding the subject of Alicia after the two of them drunkenly made out at a party a few months earlier. He didn't even remember it until he saw a picture that CJ took but Alicia remembered and the small crush she had on him snowballed over the next few weeks. Avery liked Alicia but she could be intense. And she was like a middle school girl when she was interested in someone; having her friends talk to him for her, knocking on his door in the middle of the night. She even ordered pizzas to his room once. She told everyone and their mother about the kiss and giggled uncontrollably anytime he walked past her. It made Colby totally uncomfortable and now he just steered clear of her whenever possible.

Avery's phone chimed and she unlocked the screen, seeing that she had a new email. It was her appearance schedule for the next two weeks from the PR department.

"Wow," she drew her brows together, reading over the email twice.

"What's up?"

She handed him the phone and he scrolled through the long schedule.

"This looks like mine," he laughed when he handed it back. She was scheduled for at least one appearance every day that they had a show.

"This is like double my normal schedule," she laughed. "Maybe more than that."

"I bet they gave you a bunch of AJ's dates," Colby explained. "Welcome to the big time Matthews."

She made a face at him and he laughed, "I'm serious."

"About what?" her brow lifted.

"Nobody even knows if AJ's coming back," he said. "The top spot is up for grabs and you are the best Diva we have."

"You sound like Nikki," she laughed. "She was trying to get me and Paige to celebrate AJ being hurt."

"Well I wouldn't say _celebrate_," he laughed. "But Nikki's right. You should take advantage."

"I hear you," she nodded. "And trust me, I will. You can't be the only one in the spotlight Mr. Money in the Bank."

"Calm down rookie, you're not coming for my spot," he laughed.

She twisted in her seat, resting her head on his shoulder, much more comfortable there than leaning on the car door.

"I'm gonna choose to look past you calling me a rookie because I'm sleepy," she closed her eyes.

He laughed, putting his arm over her shoulders, "Whatever you say. Rookie."

* * *

Jon finished off a bottle of water as he walked back toward the locker room. He and Glenn Jacobs had just finished going over a few things in the ring for their match that night. They were the main event for the night.

He cast a cursory glance at the match board when he passed it and something caught his eye. He backed up a few steps, reading it again. The board had been changed. His match was moved from the end of the show to the middle. The new main event was Ryback vs Randy Orton.

"What the fuck?" he frowned.

"There he is," Windham's voice called loudly and Jon turned to see Win walking toward him with Joe at his side.

"Hey man, we've been looking for you," Joe gripped his shoulder. "I'm starving. Let's hit catering."

Joe was always starving. He consumed more food than almost anyone Jon had ever seen.

"Did you see this?" Jon pointed at the board.

"Your match got moved?" Joe frowned, surprised. "That sucks man."

Windham sighed deeply, resting his hands on his hips.

"What?" Jon jerked his chin toward his friend, knowing he had something to say. Windham looked apprehensive but Jon waited, crossing his arms.

"I heard Randy talking to Malenko earlier," Windham answered, scratching the side of his head. "He was pissed off, saying they shouldn't have asked him to work tonight if he wasn't closing the show."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Jon scoffed.

"Did you really need to tell him that?" Joe sighed, looking up at the ceiling.

"He would've found out eventually," Windham shrugged.

"Let it go, man," Joe advised, always the peace keeper. "You're on the card, who cares?"

"I care," Jon answered. "I show up to every TV taping, every house show, everything. And the Princess throws a fit because he's working _one_ extra night? That's bullshit."

"There's nothing you can do about it now," Windham shrugged. "The only way to beat a guy like that is to be better."

"He's due for another Wellness violation soon anyway," Joe laughed. "Let it go. Come on, let's go eat."

Jon shook his head, "Do you ever think about anything but food?"

"I think about lots of other things," Joe answered. "Just not right now."

* * *

Randy walked into the catering area, grabbing a bottle of water from the cooler by the door. He had been ravenously hungry all day. It probably had something to do with the workout he got the night before. He had anticipated Avery being good in bed but she was on another level. She was uninhibited, passionate, and effortlessly sexy. She knew exactly what she was doing but she wasn't in her head. She wasn't one of those women who wasted time being self-conscious about her body.

He cleared his throat, reminding himself that he was at work. If he kept thinking about it, he was going to end up with a situation he didn't have the time or opportunity to take care of.

He grabbed a plate, surveying the options that were laid out for everyone, glad he got there early before everything was picked over. As he looked toward the other end of the buffet, he spotted Avery standing with Claudio Castagnoli. Avery was loading up a plate with food but Claudio seemed to just be along for the ride. When Randy saw her, it was like the day's first taste of caffeine. He perked up right away.

Avery and Claudio headed toward a table and she put her plate down. Before she could sit, Claudio grabbed her hand, laughing as he pulled her down onto his lap. Avery laughed loudly, throwing her head back.

He knew he didn't have a right to be jealous at all and he wasn't exactly. But he did feel a little twinge of something. The only lap he wanted to see her on was his. He grabbed some food and then walked over to the table beside theirs, putting his plate down. Avery looked over when she heard the sound and she smiled when she saw him. She worked her way out of Claudio's grasp, moving to sit at across from him. She was wearing a very short pair of black shorts and Randy's eyes drifted to her legs.

Claudio said something to her and drew her attention away. They talked for a moment and then Randy took a bite and started coughing. Avery glanced at him and looked concerned when the coughing didn't stop.

"Are you okay?" her eyes widened. "Do you need some water?"

Randy nodded, tapping his fist against his chest and Avery opened the water bottle in front of her and came over, handing it to him.

Someone called Claudio's name and he told Avery he'd be back while Randy downed a gulp of water.

"Are you okay?" she asked, rubbing his shoulder.

"I'm a little better now," he said, his hand snaking around the back of her leg, rubbing her thigh.

* * *

"Were you faking?" Avery looked down at Randy and he smirked, shrugging.

"You looked like you needed to be saved," he offered.

"I thought you were _choking_," she smacked him on the shoulder and he laughed, pulling her down to sit across his lap. She tried to give him a stern look but she cracked quickly, breaking into a smile. She certainly couldn't be mad at him after the night they had. One of the food service workers came in and she was startled, attempting to get up. Randy didn't let her and she gave him a warning look, "Randy."

"What?" he asked. "That guy isn't gonna tell anybody."

"Yeah but someone's gonna come in here," she reminded him.

"So?" he shrugged, placing a kiss on her shoulder.

She glared at him and he smirked, "I'll let you go but you have to kiss me first."

She made a face at him but he shrugged again, "That's the deal."

Sighing deeply, she rolled her eyes, though she wasn't nearly as put out as she acted. She pressed her lips to his, planning on giving him a quick peck. He had other ideas, deepening the kiss, his hand on the back of her neck. She gave in, unable to resist his lips. The sound of loud laughter startled them both and Avery got up quickly, scrambling back to her seat at the other table. She rested her chin on her hand, looking over at Randy. He laughed, taking a drink of his water.

"A-Town!"

Avery heard Joe's voice and then felt a tug at her ponytail.

"Hey," she smiled up at her friend, not surprised to see him in catering.

"This seat taken?" he pointed at the seat across from her.

"Nope. All yours."

"I'm gonna grab food," he said, heading over to the warming pans. "Save it for me."

* * *

"Avery," Paul Levesque called after the young woman when he saw her walk out of catering. He excused himself from the crew members he was talking to, following after her. "Avery."

She heard him the second time and stopped, turning on her heel, "Hey Boss."

"I was just about to look for you," Paul said, putting his hands on his hips. He knew the first part of what he had to say wasn't going to go over very well. "We gotta cut your match tonight."

"What?" she stared. "Why?"

"Dr. Amann says your ribs don't look too good. He wants you to take it easy for a few more days," he explained.

"They're fine, I swear," she insisted. "They're just a little sore."

From what the doctor told him, there was still quite a bit of bruising. He knew first-hand how frustrating it was to be restricted by the company doctor but being on the other side of things had taught Hunter that doctors' orders needed to be obeyed.

"Avery, I know you don't want to hear this but it's for your own safety," he assured her. "And you'll still be on the show, just not in a match."

"Then what am I doing?" she crossed her arms.

"Paige is gonna attack you backstage during an interview with Renee," he explained.

"So I can get attacked but I can't wrestle?" she raised her brow.

"Pick your battles Avery," he advised.

There was a big difference between taking a few punches and kicks that didn't really land and bumping all over the place in the ring.

"Why do I feel like you tell me that a lot?" she asked.

"I do," he laughed. When she was in NXT, Paul had to go back and forth with Avery quite a bit as they were working out her character and storylines. A lot of women coming up in the business were scared to be vocal. Avery was not. She was headstrong and always willing to fight for what she believed in. She reminded him a lot of himself which was why he let her have so much input. It didn't hurt that Dusty loved her.

"What about this weekend?"

"You're still scheduled for the house shows," he answered. "We'll reevaluate on Friday. _No_ ring work when you're back in Florida."

She opened her mouth to speak but he cut her off, "_None_ Avery."

"Okay, alright," she put her hands up. "I get it."

"You better," he gave her a stern look. "Listen, if I'm being honest, there's a very real possibility that AJ won't actually come back. We're going forward with the assumption that she's gonna sit out the rest of her contract."

"I've heard the rumors," Avery nodded.

"We're looking for someone to fill the void she's leaving at the top of the division. I'm pushing hard for it to be you," he explained.

A smile started to spread across her face and she coughed, putting her hand over her mouth to try and hide it.

"I love where this angle is going with you and Paige. The fans are eating it up. Even Twitter is happy. We've got the writers working on ways to keep propelling you forward. This is gonna be big. If all goes well, you're gonna be the face of the division."

"Wow," she let out an almost nervous laugh. "That's..that's incredible. Thank you."

"This is gonna mean a lot of things for you. More TV time, more merchandise, a lot more promotional work and PR appearances," he explained.

"I can definitely handle that," she nodded.

"I'm sure you can," he smiled. "But you need to keep in mind, not everyone is going to be excited for you. You know how competitive this place is. There's always gonna be someone who's been here longer or thinks they've earned your spot. You should prepare yourself for some backlash."

Avery laughed, "Believe me; I won't waste my energy on things like that. I never have before."

"Good," he patted her on the shoulder. "Get yourself ready Avery. You've got some great things coming your way."

* * *

_Friday…_

_Springfield, IL_

"I feel _gross_," Nikki frowned deeply. "How does that place not have a working shower?"

Avery laughed, braking for a red light, "I'm sorry. I didn't think to ask."

She looked over her shoulder at CJ, who was laying across the backseat, holding her soaked shirt away from her skin.

Avery had convinced them to go with her to a local Bikram Yoga studio. She felt incredibly relaxed after the session but when they found out that the studio's showers were being remodeled, Nikki had nearly had a meltdown. It was a 20 minute ride back to their hotel and they were all drenched in sweat.

"We'll be back at the hotel in 5 minutes," Avery pointed at the GPS on the dash. "Then you can shower as long as you like."

"I'm rooming with Brie," Nikki made a face. "When I shower for too long she starts bitching about water conservation."

"Where's John this weekend?" CJ asked.

"Filming for some TV show," Nikki sighed. "He'll be back Monday."

Avery reached over, pinching Nikki's cheek, "Aww. Poor Nikki."

"Shut up," Nikki giggled, slapping his hand away. "Don't make fun of me because I miss my man. Besides, I can't describe how much I hate going back to riding in rental cars when he's not here. Listening to Brie baby talking with Bryan half the way to wherever we're going. It's torture."

"Well at least you'll have Avery with you tonight," CJ said. "You guys can baby talk each other."

"Wait, what?" Nikki looked confused and Avery took the right turn into the hotel parking lot a little too sharply, startling everyone, herself included. She may have forgotten to mention to Nikki that she used her as a cover so she could travel with Randy for the weekend.

"Here we are, everybody out," Avery pulled up to the front doors.

"Aren't you gonna park?" CJ sat up slowly.

"I will in a second. Figured I'd let you guys out here. You can get a head start on your showers."

"O..kay," CJ looked confused but got out. Avery popped the trunk.

"Something you wanna tell me?" Nikki raised an eyebrow, not budging from her seat.

"You're pretty?" Avery deflected.

Nikki gave her a look.

"Seriously, you're glowing," Avery smirked. "Hot yoga did you good girl."

"I'll cover for you," Nikki said. "Because I'm a good friend. But we are having a talk tonight missy."

"Deal," Avery agreed. "See you tonight."

"Bye honey," Nikki got out of the car.

Once the girls were on their way inside, Avery found a parking spot and grabbed her gym bag, heading into the hotel. Before she could pull the door open, there was another hand on the handle, pulling it open for her. She looked to her left, smiling when she saw Claudio.

"After you," he gestured for her to go ahead.

"Thanks," she smiled, shaking her head. It was like Claudio could sense when a woman was about to open her own door. He was almost pathologically chivalrous. She took in his appearance; sweat soaked t-shirt and loose shorts, headphones hanging around his neck. "Running or gym?"

"Both," he laughed. "I ran to the gym and back."

"Of course you did," she nodded.

"And where were you?" he gestured down to her yoga pants and sports bra.

"Yoga," she explained.

"Of course," he smirked. They were both creatures of habit. "Walk you to your room?"

"Sure," she smiled, following him. They made small talk on the slow elevator, talking about their respective workouts. Avery could feel him staring at her and she looked over at him. He snapped his eyes up quickly, "I uh..just looking at your ribs. How are they?"

"Feeling much better," she answered as they reached her floor.

He nodded, putting his hands into his pockets, "Good. I'm glad."

Avery bit her bottom lip as she walked, unsure of what to say. She hated what had happened to them. They were still friends, sure, but things would never be like they were before they slept together. She'd known Claudio for years and they were always close. She actually had a little crush on him when they first met. He was always so sweet and she swooned over his accent but Kevin had declared her off limits to all of his friends so she knew there was no chance. It all worked out for the best though. Once she got to know him, she valued his friendship so much that the schoolgirl crush just started to fade.

Things didn't start to change until those last few months of her relationship with Jon. Kevin and Paige were both fed up with their problems and tired of telling her to just end things so Claudio became her shoulder to lean on. She found herself spending so much time with him. In retrospect, she could understand why Jon had been so frustrated. When she started to realize that Claudio was developing feelings for her, she should have distanced herself but she didn't. She liked the attention and she liked that he treated her like she could do no wrong. Whenever she complained about something Jon did or said, he always told her exactly what she wanted to hear. She was a perfect angel and Jon was always the bad guy. Nothing happened between them though, not while she was still committed to Jon. No matter how angry she got with him, she still clung stupidly to the hope that they would work out their problems. He was the only man she wanted. Then, the party happened and everything changed. Avery was so depressed after breaking up with Jon. She couldn't scrub the image of him cheating with his skanky neighbor out of her mind. She hated seeing him day in and day out. She couldn't decide if she wanted to break down and forgive him or beat him with the nearest blunt object. She went to Claudio's room one night half drunk and crying after going out with Paige. She kissed him and that was all she wrote. They were in his bed within seconds. For the next 2 months, they continued sleeping together. They kept it a secret because Avery didn't want Jon thinking he'd been right about her and Claudio all along. She ended up breaking things off because she realized that he wanted a lot more than she did. He wanted her to be his girlfriend; he started saying things about their future. When she stopped thinking about her own satisfaction for a few minutes, she knew that she was just using him to make herself feel better. She felt incredibly guilty and when she told him they needed to stop, he was hurt and he wouldn't admit it but she knew there was some anger there too.

They had spent the few months since trying to get their friendship back to where it was before. It was hard though. She often wondered if it was worth it to have crossed that line with him.

The room she shared with Paige was a long way from the elevator and when they finally reached it, she turned, looking up at him. They were standing closer than she'd realized, only a few inches between them. He smiled down at her, wistful look in his brown eyes. She felt a tug at her heart when he looked at her that way.

"What?" she blinked.

"Nothing," he shrugged. "I just..I miss you."

She sighed deeply, putting her head down, her forehead touching his chest, "Claudio…"

"I know, I know," he said, touching the side of her neck. "We can't go there again."

"No, we can't," she looked up at him.

"I just wish you would think about it," he sighed.

"I have thought about it," she closed her eyes. "A lot."

She cared so much for Claudio. Any woman would be so fortunate to have him but Avery knew that the two of them just weren't right for each other.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, placing a kiss on her forehead. "I know I shouldn't push you."

"It's okay," she shook her head. "You don't need to apologize to me."

"I do," his shoulders sagged. "We're trying to be friends. It's not very friendly of me to say these things to you."

"We're still navigating through this," she shrugged. "We're gonna make mistakes."

He smiled, raising his eyebrows, and she laughed, slapping his arm, "Not like that."

"Are you coming out tonight?" he asked.

"I can't. I'm heading straight to Indiana," she explained.

"Well then I guess I'll just see you at the show tonight," he said.

"Sounds good," she smiled, pulling out her keycard. "I'll see you later."

She turned to open the door.

"Avery?"

"Yeah?" she turned.

"I always want you as a friend," he smiled.

"You'll always have me as your friend," she gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I'll see you later."

* * *

Jon tapped his room key against his hand as he walked down the hall toward his new room. He and Joe had just made it to Springfield and he needed to catch a couple hours of sleep before the show. He was tired and his back was killing him. As he searched for the right room number, something toward the end of the hall caught his eye. He saw Avery's white hair. He wished she would pick a less noticeable color. He tensed when he saw the man standing with her. Claudio.

They were talking quietly and then something he said seemed to upset her. She put her head down and he touched her neck. She looked up and he kissed her forehead. Jon rolled his eyes, his lip curling into an irritated smile.

Jon wished it was different but he had a visceral reaction to the two of them together. His blood started to boil. He once considered Claudio a friend but now when he looked at him, he felt nothing but anger. He blamed the other man for what happened with him and Avery. If Claudio hadn't shown up that night, Jon wouldn't have been angry and lashing out. He wouldn't have gotten so drunk and maybe he and Avery would have been able to talk.

It didn't matter though. Avery and Claudio were screwing around behind his back before that night.

Before he knew what he was doing, Jon was making a beeline for them. Claudio started heading around the corner and Jon considered following him but he couldn't just walk past his ex. He was pissed at Claudio, that was certain, but his real problem was with Avery.

"Where's your boyfriend going?" he stopped when he reached her, leaning against the wall beside her door.

"I'm not in the mood for you right now," she rolled her eyes.

"Did the lovebirds have a fight?"

"Jon," she stopped, looking him in the eye. "I'm serious. Fuck off."

"You know, I put up with your attitude all the time. Everyone's been trying to get me to be _nicer_ to you, like you're some kind of royalty," he sneered. "But why exactly do you get to be so righteously angry?"

"I don't know Jon, maybe because you _cheated_ on me?" she suggested.

"And you didn't cheat on me?" he asked. "With that asshole?"

"No, Jon. Jesus, when the hell are you gonna stop with this?" she asked, eyes blazing.

"When you decide to tell the truth," Jon pointed.

"I haven't lied to you!" she insisted, dropping her bag on the floor. "If you really want to talk so bad, fine. Let's start with this: Your fucking paranoia about Claudio is the reason that we're like this now. It's over. _We're_ over. Stop looking for things to blame. Stop trying to change the facts to make yourself fucking feel better. It's-"

"I saw you together!" he cut her off.

She stared at him, obviously caught off guard. She opened her mouth but she didn't say anything.

Jon hadn't planned on saying that. He didn't plan on any of this. But they hadn't really spoken about what happened between them. After the morning she broke up with him, it was radio silence for a while and then outright hostility after that. They'd never even attempted to talk about their breakup.

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"You and Claudio," he said. "I saw you together. Making out like a couple of high school kids."

She pressed her lips together tightly, putting her hands on her hips.

"So you did lie to me," he pointed. "You put all the fucking blame on _me_ but you know damn well that you weren't an angel Avery. How long were you fucking him behind my back? How many times did you look me in the eye and tell me you were _just friends_ when you _knew_ it was bullshit?"

She tried to speak but he cut her off again, "I am tired of everyone, my own friends, thinking _I'm_ the bad guy and treating me like I'm the only one who fucked up."

"But you are Jon," she shook her head, crossing her arms over her chest, her face growing red. "I don't owe you an explanation after what you did but to be clear, _nothing_ happened between me and him until I realized that you and I were really over. The only person who ever cheated was you."

"And you expect me to believe that?" he asked. She looked sincere. He had to give her that.

She picked up her bag, shaking her head. He could see tears in her eyes when she looked at him again, "I don't give a shit what you believe."

* * *

Paige pulled off her headphones when she saw Avery walk into their room.

"How was yoga?" she asked. She'd stayed at the hotel, not ready to wake up yet. She also hated when Avery dragged her to yoga. She didn't share her friend's ability to clear her mind and meditate. She usually found herself getting so wrapped up in her thoughts during yoga that she couldn't keep up with what she was supposed to be doing.

"It was fine," Avery said quickly before going into the bathroom and roughly shutting the door. She only caught a quick glimpse of Avery's face but she knew that expression all too well. There was only one person who could bring it on.

* * *

_Prairie Capital Convention Center_

"You have _got_ to be kidding me," Avery stared at Dean Malenko. "Again?"

When she arrived for the house show and read the schedule she nearly threw her phone through the match board.

_Ambrose/Ryan vs. Show/Paige_

"We're running the same schedule as last week," he shrugged. "And with you hurt, a tag match is in your best interest."

"I am not hurt. My ribs are fine," she insisted. "I already saw the doctor."

"Schedule is final Avery," he smiled, backing away. "Knock 'em dead tonight.  
"I'll knock _you_ dead," she muttered under her breath.

"What's that?" he asked.

"Nothing," she smiled. Once he was out of sight she rolled her eyes, tossing her head back, eyes to the ceiling. She did not want to be anywhere near Jon after that blowup at the hotel. She was hoping to avoid him all night and now she had to work with him. She was still tense and angry. She was furious with him for thinking he could talk to her like that and upset with herself for letting it get to her. And then there was the confusion. Things had been over between her and Claudio for a while so if Jon saw them together, he'd been holding on to that for months. He seemed so eager to throw it in her face that morning. Why did he wait? Why didn't he say anything sooner? And why was it so hard for him to believe that she never cheated on him?

"Penny for your thoughts?"

She looked up when she heard Randy's voice. He stood beside her, looking at the match board.

"They aren't worth that much at the moment," she smirked. "You haven't been standing there long, have you?"

"Just got here," he answered.

"Good," she nodded. "Just making sure I haven't completely lost my mind."

"Not last I checked," he said. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah," she sighed, trying to shake everything off. "I'm just having a long day."

"Anything I can do?" he asked.

She looked up at him again, "No, thank you. I'll get over it."

"You still coming with me tonight?" he asked, his arm brushing against hers.

"That's the plan," she said. "As long as you still want me to."

"Trust me, _that_ is not going to change," he smirked.

"Good to hear," she laughed, putting her hands in her pockets. "I have to ask you something."

"Ask away."

"You're okay with keeping this between us, right?" she gestured between the two of them. He raised an eyebrow, looking amused. She felt silly but that didn't keep her from talking, "I just don't wanna deal with anyone knowing because-"

"Because all of your friends hate me?" he smiled.

She searched for a response but the only one she could come up with was, "Nikki likes you."

"I don't mind keeping things quiet. You're the one who seems to have a harder time with that."

A loud laugh escaped her and she slapped him on the arm. He had a good point. She was rather vocal.

"You know, I'm trying to have a bad day here, you're not supposed to make me laugh," she scolded him.

"I'm sorry. I should really be more careful," he laughed. "People will talk."

* * *

Paige waited beside the door to the men's locker room, arms crossed. When she saw Jonathan walk out of the room, she grabbed his arm, "I need to talk to you."

Jon allowed her to steer him down the hall toward some equipment trunks. She didn't have too long. She was supposed to be filming with the rest of the Total Divas girls but she snuck away because this conversation couldn't wait.

Jon sighed, "What did I do now?"

"You tell me," she glared. "What did you do to Avery this morning?"

He sighed deeply, "Why do you think I did something?"

"When she got back this morning she had this blank look on her face. She barely said two words to me."

"P, your relationship problems with Avery are not my fault."

Paige rolled her eyes, annoyed at his deflections, "Cut the shit Jon. I'm serious. She's been upset all day and I know you're the reason for it."

He put his hands in his pockets, looking off to the side.

"Look, I am still your friend, which was _really_ hard considering what you did to her," she reminded him. "The least you can do is be straight with me. The other night it seemed like you might finally be able to talk to each other and now you obviously screwed it up. What did you do?"

"We got into an argument," he admitted. "About Claudio."

Paige shook her head, annoyed, "Jon she never cheated on you. How many times do you have to hear it?"

"Did you know they hooked up?" he asked.

She frowned, surprised at the question. She knew. Avery couldn't keep a secret from her if she tried. What surprised her was that _Jon_ knew.

"I don't even know why I asked," Jon laughed. "Of course you knew."

"Yes, I knew. It started after you broke up," Paige shrugged. She never thought Avery should have kept it a secret. In Paige's opinion, Jon deserved to know that his actions made the thing that he feared so much come to fruition. He pushed Avery right into Claudio's bed.

"Sure it did," he scoffed.

"It did," she insisted. "And in case you've forgotten, you cheated on Avery while she was in the next room."

"I know, Paige, I messed up," he said. "But-"

"But what?" she interrupted him. "She kept Claudio a secret because she knew you would do exactly this. She knew you would twist it around and try to attack her for it. You need to grow up. You broke up. It's over. It's bad enough things happened the way they did. Do you need to try and make it worse?"

"I-"

"Shut up." She pointed at him, her expression stern, "Fix it."

* * *

"So are you gonna tell me what's up with you?"

Avery sighed, finishing Nikki's eyeliner. They were short 2 of their makeup artists due to delayed flights and Avery always ended up helping out when they had a lot of divas on hand. She loved makeup and she'd developed quite a skill for it when she was coming up and had to do her own makeup for shows.

"I already told you why I needed you to cover for me," Avery said

"You did, and I'm very proud of you for that," Nikki smiled. "But that's not what I mean. You seem upset."

"I don't know why," Avery shrugged. "I'm fine."

"You're not fine," Nikki insisted. "Is it about your match?"

Avery knew Nikki wasn't going to give up. She was like a dog with a bone. If only she was better at hiding her emotions. Or turning them off, that would definitely have helped. She didn't want to be upset but Jon had that effect on her. She kept trying to put their argument out of her head but her mind kept drifting back to it. She was getting a headache from the tension.

"You know it's gonna be fine. You guys did a good job tagging together last time," Nikki said.

"Work is work, I'm not worried about the match," Avery shrugged. "But I really don't wanna be anywhere near him right now."

"What happened?" Nikki looked up at her, her face wrought with concern.

"I don't really want to talk about it right now," Avery answered, fluffing Nikki's hair, doing a final check to make sure she didn't need to change anything.

"You want me to beat him up?" Nikki offered.

"I would love to see that," Avery said. "But no. I just..I wish he didn't get to me."

"Exes have a way of doing that. I have an ex who can still turn me upside down if he so much as looks at me."

"Does he work here?" Avery laughed.

"No, thank God. I'm sorry boo," Nikki stood, pulling her into a hug, looking at their reflection in the mirror. "If it helps, I know someone who's gonna make you feel much better later."

"You're a freak," Avery laughed.

Nikki smacked her on the ass, "That's why you love me."

* * *

Jon walked slowly toward Avery like she was an animal in the wild. Their match was up next so he wasn't surprised to find her near the action. She was sitting on a trunk, swinging her feet, staring off into space. He knew she would still be angry with him and he could understand why. When Paige berated him earlier, she was right. Sometimes he got so caught up in his anger that he sort of forgot his part in everything. Part of him felt guilty for the way that he approached Avery that morning. He wasn't sure he believed what she said but he shouldn't have come at her the way he did and nothing that happened would justify what he did that night at his apartment.

She had her headphones in and when he first approached, he couldn't tell if she was ignoring him or if she didn't notice his presence.

"Hey," he said. Not exactly a great opening line but he had to start somewhere. She didn't move at all so he stood in front of her, stepping right into her line of sight. She blinked but said nothing. She was looking right through him. He took a deep breath, knowing she wouldn't make this easy on him. She never did when she was pissed. He reached up, gently pulling the earbud out of her ear and letting it fall beside her, "Can we talk?"

"Is it about work?" she finally spoke, her tone too calm.

"No," he shook his head. There was no point in lying.

"Then we don't have time," was her curt response. She jumped down from the trunk, walking away. He thought about reaching out to stop her, making her listen but he knew better. When Avery was quiet, she was at her angriest. He'd always hated when she gave him the silent treatment. He turned around, following her to the curtain but deciding to wait to try and talk. Right before they went out for their match probably wasn't the best time to have this discussion anyway. He would give her some time and talk to her at the end of the night.

* * *

_2 Hours Later…_

Jon waited outside the back door, leaning against the wall. He'd been watching people filter out for a while but Avery hadn't left the building yet. During their match they had gotten along just fine. Avery took a beer from a fan in the crowd and they split it while celebrating their win. When they were out in front of the crowd it was like all of their baggage was gone. Dean Ambrose and Avery Ryan didn't have to talk about their breakup and who cheated on whom. They went out and did their job and had fun doing it. Then they came through the curtain and Jon Good and Avery Matthews parted ways without a word. If only they could figure out how to coexist when they didn't have an audience.

He looked down at his watch, wondering where she was. He would have just sent her a text but he knew she would just ignore it. Joe was already in their rental, sound asleep.

He blamed Paige for making him feel guilty. He hated guilt. It nagged at him and wouldn't stop until he did something about it. He was beginning to think Avery was planning to spend the night in Springfield until he finally saw her. She stopped just outside the door. She was looking down at her phone, her face illuminated by the light. He couldn't help staring at her for a moment. The bad blood between them didn't make her any less striking. He had been enamored with her face from the moment he saw it. It was hard to shake that.

He was about to say her name when Randy Orton walked out.

"Ready?" Randy looked down at Avery, putting a hand on the middle of her back.

"Yeah," she flashed him her bright smile. "Which way?"

"Right back here," Randy led her away. Jon stared after them, watching as Randy's hand slowly slid further down her back.

Jon stared after them, surprised.

When the hell did _that_ happen?


	9. Paranoid

_Baltimore, MD_

Randy looked over at the clock, sighing deeply. He knew he had to be up soon but he didn't want to move. Avery was draped across him, one leg over his, her arm across his stomach. Her hair was like silk draped across his chest, the white waves a sharp contrast to his tan skin. He knew as soon as he moved, she would wake up. She was a light sleeper and he didn't want to stir her until he had to.

This would be their last morning together for the week. She was traveling with the girls for the rest of the week and he wasn't scheduled for the Smackdown taping. They were going to have to get moving. He had a signing.

The intrusive buzzing from one of their phones started and Randy reached over, grabbing at it. He assumed it was his but when he looked, he found Avery's white IPhone in his hand, the screen displaying a picture of Paige holding a cat.

He knew he should just put the phone down but he couldn't help himself.

"Hello?" he answered sleepily.

"Hello?" Paige sounded confused. "Randy?"

"Good morning Paige," he laughed.

"Why are you..you know, nevermind. Where's Avery?"

His voice must have roused her because Avery lifted her head, her eyes taking a moment to focus. When she saw him holding her phone, she looked alarmed.

"She's right here," he answered.

Avery narrowed her eyes at him, holding out her hand. He gave her the phone and she got up, walking around the room as she talked. He watched her as she paced slowly untangling her hair with her free hand.

"Okay, I'll meet y'all there. You're not gonna have a camera crew are you?"

There was a pause and then Avery rolled her eyes, "Okay, okay. I'll see you there. Love you, bye."

"You know you got me in trouble, right?" she smirked, dropping her phone on the bed.

"Didn't she know you were with me?" he asked, sitting up, reluctantly allowing his day to begin.

"She did but I think you caught her off guard answering my phone," she explained. "By the way…kind of a weird move. What if it hadn't been her?"

"I saw her picture. I wouldn't have answered otherwise," he assured her, catching her hand as she tried to walk past him. He turned her toward him, drawing her close. "I'll make it up to you in the shower."

"I'm not getting in the shower with you," she said, trying to hide a smile.

"That was completely unconvincing," he smirked. "But it's cute that you tried."

"I hate being called cute," she made a face.

"I'll make that up to you too," he offered, leaning forward and pressed a soft kiss just below her navel. He couldn't seem to keep his lips off of her for very long. "You should just come with me today. I can make things up to you all day long."

"That is tempting," she ran her hand over his hair. "But I have to meet the Paige and Nikki at the gym and most likely get a lecture about you."

"Why exactly does Paige have such a problem with me?" he looked up at her. "Did I do something to her that I don't remember?"

"No," she laughed. "It's just..we're both really close with Colby and Joe. And they aren't exactly your biggest fans."

"I'm aware," he smirked at her hesitant expression. "Just never cared very much."

"That's probably part of the problem," she laughed, sliding out of his grasp and beginning to pick up discarded pieces of clothing.

"Maybe," he shrugged. "You know, your ex seems to be especially annoyed by me. You know what his problem is?"

"That's between the two of you," she shrugged. "Maybe you should ask him."

She seemed to bristle a little at the mention of Jon. He couldn't help his curiosity though. John mentioned that their breakup was pretty bad.

"So was it serious between you two?" Randy asked.

She pulled some new clothes out of her bag, "Yeah, it was."

"So what happened?"

"We broke up," she shrugged, turning to face him.

"Yeah, I hope so," he laughed. "That's not exactly what I was going for though."

She turned to him with a cheerful smile, "Okay. I'll tell you all about my breakup with Jon and then you can tell me why you and your wife got divorced. Sound like fun?"

"Touché," nodding, quickly recognizing her point. "Subject dropped."

"I thought you'd see it my way," she walked over to him. "Now I was promised shower time."

"Yes you were," he stood, grabbing her and tossing her over her shoulder. "And shower time you shall have."

* * *

Nikki held up her phone, rotating until she found the perfect light. She was waiting in the parking lot for Avery and it was a beautiful day out, the leaves were changing, the air was crisp and the sun was bright and high in the sky. She couldn't resist taking a quick selfie. She brushed her hair over her shoulder and snapped the picture. When she reviewed it, her lips were pursed a little too much. She held her arm out to take another.

"Say cheese!"

Nikki felt an arm around her neck and Avery's face appeared in the phone screen next to hers.

Nicole laughed, taking the picture.

"Hey," she turned, hugging her friend. "You're late missy."

"I know, I'm sorry," Avery hugged back. "Look at you, you look gorgeous."

"Me?" she laughed. "Look at _you_. You're actually glowing."

Nikki turned her phone so Avery could see their picture. Nikki had always been a little envious of Avery's skin but she looked especially luminous.

"Your selfie game has been really strong lately," Avery shrugged, leading the way toward the door.

"You are right about that. My Instagram has never looked better," Nikki smirked. "But I don't think that's what it is."

"And what _do_ you think it is?" Avery looked over her shoulder.

"A little RKO does a body good?" Nikki wiggled her eyebrows.

"Good Lord Nicole," Avery laughed. "You are like a teenage boy trapped in a woman's body."

"Maybe but I'm not wrong," Nikki smiled proudly. "I'm like a love guru."

"Calm down," Avery held the door open for her. "There's no _love_ happening."

"Okay but if I say I'm a sex guru it sounds weird," Nikki shrugged.

"Oh, look who decided to drag herself out of bed so she can join us," Paige smiled as they walked inside.

"Wait..which one of us are you talking about?" Nikki joked.

"And it was the shower FYI," Avery smirked, squeezing her best friend with a tight hug.

"I did not need to know that," Paige made a face but returned the hug.

"Oh, I think you did," Avery pinched her cheek.

"What was he doing answering your phone this morning?" Paige questioned.

"I really don't know," she shook her head. "It won't happen again though. I talked to him about it."

Paige rolled her eyes and Nikki shook her head, confused, "I don't get it."

"Don't get what?" both women asked at the same time.

Nikki didn't mean to say that out loud but she couldn't take it back now.

"I don't get why you aren't happy for her," Nikki answered. Paige obviously loved Avery. They were practically sisters. She wasn't completely oblivious. Nikki knew that Randy rubbed a lot of people the wrong way but Avery was _obviously_ having fun with him. "Shouldn't we just be happy that she's happy?"

"I want the best for her," Paige explained. "And I don't think he's the best."

"Maybe not forever but I'd say he's pretty damn good for right now," Nikki laughed.

"I just love it when you guys talk about me like I'm not here," Avery clasped her hands together. "Can we please drop this?"

Paige looked annoyed, hardly a surprise. Nikki was fairly certain that Paige wasn't really interested in her opinion about anything. That wouldn't keep her from sharing it but she didn't want to make Avery uncomfortable so she chose to let the subject drop. She could get all of the details later.

* * *

Jon watched as Aaron relentlessly attempted to flirt with their incredibly disinterested pancake house waitress. She'd seemed pretty miserable from the moment they were seated in her section but Aaron could not be deterred. Jon couldn't tell if she was just unhappy because she was working a long shift or if she genuinely loathed the three of them. Either way, it wasn't looking good for his friend.

He was glad he'd chosen to go to the gym with Aaron and Win that morning instead of getting sucked into some kind of Crossfit nonsense with Colby like Joe did. They had finished at the gym in a little over an hour and now he had Aaron getting shot down to entertain him.

"It's actually painful for me to watch you speak to women," Windham sighed as the blonde server walked away and Aaron smiled after her.

"What? I think she likes me," Aaron insisted.

"Do you not know what the word 'like' means?" Windham narrowed his eyes.

"I think she's gonna spit in all of our food if you don't leave her alone," Jon laughed.

"You just don't know how to read women," Aaron said, clearly confident in his own lackluster abilities.

"I'm a married man," Windham reminded him. "I think I have some experience reading women."

Aaron shrugged, "Luck."

"You just keep trying man," Jon smirked. "Either she'll give you the number or she'll call the cops."

Aaron tried to defend himself and Windham continued to argue that he was delusional until the waitress came back with their food. Once their breakfast was in front of them, Aaron's failures were forgotten and the hungry men were quiet at first as they dug in.

The lull in conversation allowed Jon's thoughts to drift and he found himself thinking about what he saw the other night. Try as he might, he couldn't get Avery and Randy out of his head the last few days. Nothing about it made sense to him. They didn't know each other. They didn't talk at work. They had no reason to be around each other. He knew Randy was checking her out the night he showed up to the bar in Louisiana but Jon was certain that nothing would come of that. Men checked her out all the time. He thought that Avery would know better than to actually hook up with _Orton_ of all people.

"Have either of you talked to Avery today?" he started up the conversation again, wondering if any of their friends knew about what was going on. News traveled fast in the business in general but it seemed to shoot through their group like lightning. If Avery really was involved with Randy, someone _had_ to know about it.

Windham seemed surprised by the question but he nodded, "I talked to her this morning. She was on her way to the gym."

"Was she with Paige?" he asked.

"Isn't she always?" Win laughed.

"Yeah they're basically attached at the liver," Aaron piped up.

Jon nodded, frowning.

"Speaking of damaged livers," Aaron said. "The fans on Twitter really seemed to love you and Avery's drinking party the other night."

"I heard," Jon laughed. He couldn't be bothered with Twitter or Instagram but Joe had shown him a bunch of memes that the fans made out of pictures of Jon and Avery with the beer she pilfered.

"You do realize what they're doing with you guys, right?" Aaron asked.

Jon raised his brow, waiting for an explanation.

"This is totally a test run," Aaron said, surprised that Jon didn't say it first. "Someone in creative wants to put you two together."

Jon made a face, shaking his head.

"Oh come on, don't tell me the thought hasn't crossed your mind at all," Aaron looked at him in disbelief.

"Of course it did at first but that's not what's happening," Jon shook his head again. "I'm supposed to be going into a thing with Colby and from what I heard; Avery and Paige's feud is gonna last through the end of the year. It wouldn't make any sense to try and put us together."

"Then why put you in mixed tags two weeks in a row?" Windham asked.

"I think it really was a timing issue the first week," Jon shrugged. "And then we did the repeat this past weekend because of her ribs. It made sense for her to be in a tag match."

"Even if putting you together wasn't the plan, you two keep working so well together and someone's gonna notice," Windham warned.

"We don't work _that_ well together," Jon laughed, though he knew what Windham meant. Despite all of their issues, Jon and Avery had chemistry. When they were forced into a situation where they couldn't fight, it was impossible to hide that. "It doesn't matter anyway. This weekend was it. Her ribs are better, we'll be back to doing our own shit."

"Why'd you wanna know if she was with Paige?" Windham asked as though he just realized that the question was odd.

Jon shrugged, "I was just curious."

Windham looked unconvinced and Jon shrugged, "I guess I just wanted to apologize to Avery for the other day. I upset her and Paige read me the riot act. She was right but I don't need to hear the 'I told you so'."

"It's good of you to apologize," Windham looked pleased, nodding his head.

"Don't get excited, okay? We're not gonna be holding hands and singing Kumbaya anytime soon."

"Why not?" Windham asked. "Don't you think it would be nice for you to be friends again?"

"Avery and I weren't exactly friends first," Jon laughed. "We sorta jumped right into more than that."

"Well you've both been great friends to us. You could probably be good friends to each other if you gave it a shot."

* * *

John walked beside Randy toward the locker rooms. They'd just finished a private signing with some VIP guests; two elderly businessmen who'd paid some ridiculous sum of money just to meet the two of them. One of their wives was particularly interested in Randy and he seemed greatly amused by her flirting.

"I think you made a good impression," John teased.

Randy didn't respond at first and John looked up from his phone to see that his friend was clearly distracted. Avery, Nikki, Brie, Paige, and Nattie were all standing near the wardrobe area being filmed by the Total Divas cameras. He was glad that filming would be over in a few weeks. He supported everything that Nicole wanted to do but sometimes the cameras and the exaggerated drama were a little much for him. Nicole was supposed to be the one to help him relax, not start an argument with him to set up a plotline to be resolved in one of their hour long episodes. He would be glad for the break before the new season started filming in the spring.

Avery was telling an animated story, speaking with her hands and making faces, drawing laughs from the others. Randy's eyes were focused firmly on her.

"Are you listening?" he tapped his friend on the arm.

"Of course I am," Randy answered, still looking at the diva. "I can do two things at once."

"I heard you guys were really hitting it off," John laughed. Nikki was quite pleased with herself for getting the two of them together. She loved to brag about her successes in matchmaking. There weren't all that many.

"She's a lot of fun," Randy smiled, slowing dragging his gaze away from her and looking at John again.

"We should start going over the plan for tonight," John said, shoving his phone into his pocket. He had a bunch of emails from his agent but he would have to read them later.

"Did it change again?" Randy asked. The main event for Raw was advertised as Randy and Seth Rollins vs. John Cena and a mystery partner of his choosing. The choice of partner had changed a few times over the weekend but as of that morning, the choice was set in stone. Paul sent him a text first thing in the morning.

"Ambrose is gonna be my partner," John explained.

Randy rolled his eyes, "Of course he is."

"Paul really seems to think the kid deserves a push," John shrugged. "I think he's good. I didn't have any problems working with him during the Shield days."

"I think he's overrated," Randy expressed.

"Does that have anything to do with her?" John jerked his thumb toward where the women were standing.

"Of course not," Randy shook his head. "It has to do with the fact that the kid tried to sucker punch me a few months back."  
"What?"

"He got in my face after Reigns got busted open when we were overseas," Randy explained.

"And did Reigns get busted open all on his own?" John smirked. Randy had a propensity for working stiff with the younger guys, especially ones he didn't like.

"I may have helped with that," Randy laughed. "But it wasn't anybody else's business. If you have a problem with me, you're gonna come to me on your own right? Not grab one of your friends to come fight your battles for you."

"Well did Reigns bring his friend in or did Ambrose jump in on his own?"

He didn't know the former Shield members all that well. He knew Colby Lopez the best just because he'd worked with him the most and he still _barely_ ever spoke to him outside of work.

"He jumped in on his own," Randy answered. "He's lucky I didn't kick his ass. He's been listening to his own hype too much."

John didn't realize just how much Randy disliked the other man. He looked over his shoulder back toward the group of Divas. Nicole was putting Avery in a headlock while Nattie took a picture. He remembered that night at the Total Divas party, Randy seemed surprised to hear that Avery wasn't dating Jon anymore. Now, John couldn't help but wonder if Nikki was wrong. Maybe her matchmaking had nothing to do with Avery and Randy seeing each other. Maybe it had more to do with Randy and his issues with Jon Good.

* * *

Avery was thrilled as she was freed of her Total Divas microphone. Eva had just arrived and she couldn't get away fast enough. She could only bite her tongue for so long with the redhead shooting her the shady side eye. She headed back toward the locker rooms, slowing when she saw Colby, Windham, and Aaron. She sidled up next to Aaron who draped his arm around her shoulders as the three men spoke. They were discussing the main event for the night which would see Colby and Randy representing the Authority against Jon Good and John Cena. Avery couldn't help but smile. She always felt a sense of pride seeing the people that she came up with main eventing a show. She was especially proud of Colby. Since his heel turn, he had been on fire.

After a few minutes, Windham decided to change the subject, pointing at Avery, "We were talking about you this morning."

"Were you saying nice things?" she smirked.

"Jon was looking for you," Aaron explained. "Wanted to know if you were with Paige."

"I'm always with Paige," Avery answered, hoping no one noticed she spoke a little too quickly. "Why'd _he_ want to know?"

"Seemed like he wanted to apologize to you," Windham explained.

Avery rolled her eyes. Apologies were not Jon's forte. He rarely, if ever, attempted them. One would be more likely to stumble across a unicorn.

"He does feel bad about fighting with you again," Colby tried in vain to defend his friend. Avery appreciated his loyalty but she wasn't going to buy that her ex was sorry.

"If he wanted to apologize to me, he would have," Avery laughed. "I'm not exactly hard to find."

"Just give him a-"

Aaron was cut off when they heard a booming clap of thunder that made Avery jump. It had been raining since they arrived at the arena that afternoon and it wasn't showing any signs of letting up yet.

"Looks like we're all staying in Baltimore tonight," Aaron laughed, giving Avery's shoulder a comforting squeeze.

"I can't," Avery shook her head. "I have to do some local news thing in Pittsburgh tomorrow with Joe."

"Yeah, I've got an appearance tomorrow morning too," Colby said. "This storm needs to let up ASAP."

Windham laughed as the thunder sounded again, "You all better start thinking about backup plans."

* * *

The storms were so bad that the monitors backstage were starting to flicker. That probably meant that the fans at home were getting a choppy feed of the show. Jon was certain the higher ups were losing their shit over it. Vince was probably screaming in Michael Cole's ear at that very moment. They were in the second hour of the show which meant they had plenty of time left and the storm was only getting worse. Raw returned from commercial with Avery's music playing. She slapped hands with a few of the fans as she made her way down to the ring. She was wearing a loose fitting dark gray tank top and impossibly short black denim shorts with a black and white checked shirt tied around her waist. A red headband held her hair away from her face. She pulled a microphone out of her back pocket, waiting for her music and the crowd to quiet down.

"You know..I have to give credit where credit is due," she spoke. "Paige, last week you got me pretty good. I have to hand it to you, you saw an opportunity and you took it. And you hurt me. I can actually understand the way you handled things. Hell, it's nothing I've never done before. Cheap shots were my thing once upon a time. Recently though..I've come to realize that handling business that way hasn't gotten me anywhere. So I'm not gonna do to you what you did to me. I'm not gonna hit you when you're not looking. But what I _will_ do is invite you to come down to this ring right now so you and I can have a little chat."

Paige's music hit and she headed down to the ring, devious smile directed at Avery. The dark haired diva got into the ring quickly, laughing, "Avery, it's good to see you. How are those ribs feeling?"

"Oh they're feeling well enough to kick your ass, don't you worry about that," Avery smirked.

Paige rolled her eyes, "You said you wanted to talk. What exactly do you and I have to talk about?"

"Well..the two of us don't exactly agree on a lot of things but I've thought of something that has us on the same page. This…" Avery gestured between the two of them. "Cannot wait for Survivor Series. _I_ think..We need to do this _right now_."

Paige nodded, taking off her leather jacket and tossing it out of the ring. The crowd cheered but before the women could make another move, Stephanie McMahon's music began and the Authority leader walked purposefully down to the ring, a scowl settled deeply into her features.

Stephanie entered the ring, standing between the younger women as her music stopped. Paige's expression was worried while Avery rolled her eyes, annoyed at Stephanie foiling her plans.

"Who the hell do the two of you think you are?" she glared between them. She pointed at Avery, "Especially you. Until you have _earned_ the WWE Divas Championship, it belongs to _me_. And you don't get a say. I already told you that the title will be decided at Survivor Series. That is not going to change just because you turned your back at the wrong time."

"I just don't understand the point of waiting," Avery argued. "I'm here. Paige is here. Why not do it right now?"

The crowd popped again and Stephanie looked livid.

"I just want to make it clear that this was all her idea, not mine," Paige pointed.

"I don't owe you an explanation," Stephanie sneered at Avery. "But I'll give you one anyway. The Authority prides itself on doing what's _best for business_. In this case, that is a match for the Divas Championship at Survivor Series, available on the WWE network for the low, low price of $9.99."

Avery rolled her eyes again but this time Stephanie caught her.

"You know, Avery, I understand you a lot more than you probably think," Stephanie smiled. "I understand that you are a fighter. You _thrive_ on competition. And Paige has attacked you twice in the last week so how about this…You can have a match with Paige tonight. Just not for the Divas Championship."

Avery smiled, nodding.

"A handicap match," Stephanie continued. "Allow me to introduce the two of you to Paige's partner."

Tamina's music began and Stephanie smiled as the imposing woman made her way down to the ring. Jon did not envy Avery's position. Tamina had an imposing presence but she was not exactly a technician in the ring. As Stephanie exited the ring, she mouthed 'Good Luck' to Avery.

Jon watched as his ex's expression went from wary to accepting to determined. She had such an expressive face; just another reason that she was so good.

She rolled her shoulders and untied the shirt from her waist, handing it to the referee who had just slid into the ring. She locked up with Tamina first and managed to make her look like a million bucks in the ring. She hit her with a high knee and then locked Tamina into one of her signature submissions, the MCS. Before she signed with the WWE, she called the complicated pentagram choke hold the Music City Strangler. For weeks before her NXT debut, she fought with Paul every day on changing the name. She insisted on abbreviating it to the MCS and he threw about a hundred different names at her, insisting what she wanted didn't fit with the PG product. She hated all of the ideas and stood her ground and finally, with a little back up from Dusty Rhodes, she got her way. Jon loved watching the move. She'd shown him how to do it many times but he could never lock it in as smoothly as she could. He attributed his difficulty to being a lot bigger and less flexible than her. She always teased that it was because he was slower. She had the hold in deep and Tamina raised her hand to tap against Avery's leg but Paige rushed into the ring, laying her boot into the side of Avery's head. This allowed Tamina to untangle herself from the hold and the match ended in a DQ as Tamina and Paige both attacked Avery, kicking at her until she stopped moving. The show went to commercial with Paige kneeling over Avery, screaming 'This is my house' in her face.

"Crowd's really loving this."

Jon frowned, looking over his shoulder to see Paul Levesque smiling proudly.

"Yeah, the girls are really getting over," Jon nodded. He wondered if Paul was actually proud of Paige and Avery or just proud of himself.

"Avery especially," Paul nodded. "By the end of this year, I'd say she's gonna be on another level."

"Oh yeah?" Jon raised an eyebrow.

"That's the plan," the other man nodded. "We really think she and Paige can change the way people look at the division."

Jon was nodding absently at this point. He had no clue why the hell Paul was talking to him about this.

"Good for them," he shrugged, unsure of what else to say. He knew the girls were great workers, just didn't know what it had to do with him.

"How are things between you two anyway?" Paul asked, scratching his chin.

"You know we broke up, right?" Jon asked, confused.

"Kid, everyone around here knows you broke up," Paul chuckled. "I was asking what things are like now. Are you friends? Enemies? Somewhere in the middle?"

"I don't know that there's a word to properly describe what we are," Jon answered.

"Is that a good or a bad thing?"

"It is what it is," Jon shrugged. He didn't care to clarify himself. His relationship, or lack thereof, with Avery wasn't any of Paul's business. "Can I ask why you care all of a sudden?"

"I'm just wondering," Paul shrugged.

"Really?" Jon laughed, unconvinced.

"Okay, fine, I'm just asking because you're in an angle with the Authority, Avery is going to be working with Steph, the two of you may cross paths professionally, I'd like to know that there isn't a war zone," Paul explained. "From what I've seen at the live events, it seems like things are pretty good."

"We both know how to keep things professional," Jon assured him. "We don't bring our personal lives to work."

Paul patted him on the shoulder, "Good. That's very good to hear."

* * *

Randy looked up from his phone when he heard Avery's voice. He was leaning against a wall near the Divas dressing area. She was walking with Nikki, laughing at something on Nikki's phone. Nikki saw him first and elbowed Avery sharply in the side.

"Ow, what the hell Nicole?" Avery clutched her still healing ribs. Nikki cleared her throat and then nodded to Randy and he laughed when Avery finally saw him.

She excused herself from Nikki who smirked and said, "Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"She is the least subtle person in the entire world," Avery walked over to him.

"I think if you're expecting subtlety from Nikki, _you're_ in the wrong, not her," he advised.

"That is a very good point," she stood close to him. "Now what are you doing hanging out around here?"

"Waiting for you," he didn't bother to make up an excuse. He wanted to see her. "How was your match?"

"It was good, the crowd seemed really into it," she smiled excitedly. "I know I say it a lot but I really love working with Paige. And having Stephanie so involved is amazing. If she keeps saying such nice things to me off camera, it's gonna start to get to my head."

"You're in a good position if you have her as a fan," he smiled. "She's the only support you'll ever need around here."  
"Well then I need I need to make sure I keep impressing her, don't I?" she smirked.

Loud thunder sounded outside and Randy looked down the hall. They were near a side exit and the storm seemed to be getting even louder.

He shook his head, looking at Avery, "It's really bad out. Looks like you're just going to have to stay with me an extra night. Your flight's never gonna take off in this."

"Why does everyone want me to stay in Baltimore so bad?" she laughed, shaking her head.

"Who else is trying to get you to stay?" he gave her a suspicious look.

"I was talking to Win and Aaron earlier and they are positive that there is no way we'll make it out tonight."

"They're right," he said. "This storm is crazy."

"Yeah but the news is saying it should clear up tonight," she said. "I've been checking the flight status, it's not cancelled yet. I'm sure I'll be delayed but not cancelled."

"If you say so," he laughed.

"Let me have my optimism," she smiled.

"You can have whatever you want," he smirked, tucking her hair behind her ear and allowing his hand to drift down to the side of her neck.

"_Anything_ I want?" she smiled up at him.

"Don't get me started woman," he narrowed his eyes at her. "You'll never make it to the airport."

"Well if I'm gonna miss my flight, I'd like to have a good reason," she teased.

He leaned down, catching her lips in a quick but fervent kiss. She smiled, biting her bottom lip and he was tempted to find a private place to take her to right that moment. He couldn't though. His match was up soon.

"You're a trouble maker, you know that?" he asked, still touching her neck.

"I've always known that," she smirked. "Now, I am gonna go take a shower. I think you have somewhere to be."

She stepped away, turning toward the locker room.

"Thanks for the imagery," he called after her.

"You're welcome."

* * *

Avery walked behind Paige, Nikki, Brie, Foxy, Nattie, and Eva, twisting her wet hair up into a bun. The Total Divas crew wanted footage of the girls watching the main event and since the monitors were flickering in and out, they were going to watch it from the arena in a production area that was blocked just enough so that the fans couldn't really see them. Avery didn't actually _want_ to go but Paige had practically dragged her out of the shower and insisted she come. Randy was making his way down the ramp, his music blasting.

"Is this gonna be weird for you?" Paige teased.

"Stop it," Avery tapped her friend on the side of the head.

Paige hit her back and the two of them started playfully tousling around. Avery cried out when Paige gave her a wet willy. There was nothing that could gross her out faster. She pinched Paige hard on the ass to make her stop.

Eva turned to glare at them over her shoulder.

"Can I help you?" Avery asked and the other woman rolled her eyes, turning around.

John's music cued and Avery smiled when Nikki started dancing. She held up her phone, taking a video to tease her with later. It was adorable how proud she was of John. Her dancing was also hilarious.

When John got to the end of the ramp, Avery could feel the tension from the crowd. The fans didn't know who his partner was going to be and they were practically buzzing in anticipation. John pointed at the top of the ramp and at the sound of the engine revving at the beginning of Jon's music, the crowd went wild. The girls actually jumped the pop was so loud. When he walked out onto the stage in his leather jacket with his devilish grin, Avery noticed the rest of the girls, except for Nikki and Paige, turn to look at her.

She wasn't sure exactly what reaction they were looking for but she shrugged, feeling awkward.

Getting to watch the match from the crowd was a treat. They joined in on some of the chants and Paige managed to get some cotton candy from one of the crowd vendors.

John had been in the ring for a while and the fans were itching for the hot tag, loudly chanting _We want Ambrose_!

When Cena dove to the corner, slapping Jon's hand, they erupted again and he jumped into the ring, running past Randy to the corner, hitting Colby with a rough forearm and knocking him off the apron. He threw up his hands, encouraging the crowd and then turned right into a Randy's signature powerslam.

"He's so great at that," Nattie marveled.

Avery nodded in agreement, watching as Jon got to his feet slowly. As the match continued, Avery noticed that the two men were working more and more stiff. At one point they were trading blows and both of their faces were getting red from the force of the hits.

Nikki stepped back from her spot next to Brie, leaning close to Avery's ear, "What is that about?"

Avery shrugged, shaking her head. She couldn't tell if they were working together or against each other. In the ring, if both parties agreed to be stiff to make everything look more impactful, they were working together. If one person went too hard and the other retaliated, they were against each other. Jon tagged out of the match and Randy tagged Colby back in. Avery could see as he stood on the apron that Randy was angry. She looked to Jon and saw him rubbing his jaw, staring daggers across the ring.

"That's not good," Paige shook her head. Cena tagged out of the match and Colby, selling his fear of facing off with his former Shield-mate, rushed back to his corner, tagging Randy. Avery knew from the time that the endgame was coming.

"Ladies, we're gonna have to have you head back now before the crowd starts to head out," one of the heads of event security came over to them. Avery was still watching over her shoulder and saw Jon hit Dirty Deeds on Randy and get the pin. His music began and as he was getting up, Avery noticed that he pushed off of Randy's chest. Randy stopped selling and got up, turning around and barking something Jon's way. Then Colby and Cena got into the ring, pushing their partners apart.


	10. Rearview

_Have you talked to Randy?_

Avery sighed as she read the text from Nikki. The last time she saw Randy, he and Jon were yelling at each other as they came through the curtain. Colby was able to shut Jon up pretty quickly but from what Avery heard, once all of the men were back in the locker room, Randy flipped out and the two men had a shouting match before Randy stormed out.

_Nope_,she typed out her answer_. I texted him. No response yet._

Avery didn't even see him leave. She hoped he didn't think she had anything to do with what went down between him and Jon. It definitely wasn't about her.

She put her phone into her pocket, knowing that staring at it wouldn't make him respond any faster.

She also had other things to worry about. She was sitting in the airport, with Paige curled up next to her, praying that their flight didn't get cancelled. It had already been delayed but there was still a chance, albeit a slim one, that they would fly out that night.

Her phone buzzed again and she snatched it up quickly, disappointed when she saw that it was another text from Nikki. She answered Nikki's text and then opened her thread with Randy. The last thing she typed was _Everything okay?_

Almost an hour and still nothing.

"Who are you texting?" Paige asked sleepily, propping herself up on one elbow.

"Randy," she sighed, putting the phone back down.

Paige rolled her eyes, sitting up.

"You know what? I have had just about enough of you pouting," Avery crossed her arms, giving the other woman a stern look. "You have exhibited _extremely_ questionable taste in men since I've known you and I have never acted like this toward you."

"That's not true," Paige argued. "Remember when I dated that guy Derek? You wouldn't shut up about how bad he was for me."

"That was different," Avery pointed. "That guy was a scumbag who lived with his mother."

"And Randy Orton is Prince Charming?" Paige gave her a look.

"He doesn't _need_ to be," Avery insisted. "Although compared to that guy? Yes, yes he is."

"Why doesn't he need to be?" Paige asked.

"How many times do I have to tell you that I am not getting into anything serious with him?" Avery asked.

"Famous last words," Paige smirked.

"What does _that_ mean?"

"It means that you are terrible at having casual relationships," Paige explained.

"Excuse me?" Avery stared. "That is not true."

"Oh really? Let's review, shall we?" Paige smirked. "Since I've known you, there was Jon, whom you fell head over heels for immediately after declaring that you were off men to focus on work. And after that there was Claudio, your good friend, who you allowed to fall head over heels for _you_ when you _knew_ that you weren't over Jon yet."

Avery opened her mouth to argue but she didn't have much of a leg to stand on.

"Okay," she laughed. "I _guess_ I can see where you're coming from. A little."

"You know I love you to death," Paige ran a hand through her hair. "I know you always have good intentions but you don't always stick to your guns when it comes to guys. It worries me."

"You're right about that," Avery nodded. "But you don't need to worry. That was the past. Being that way hasn't exactly worked out well for me. I've learned my lesson. Trust me."

"I always trust you," Paige said. "I still don't like him. But I will stop pouting."

Avery pulled her into a hug, "That's all I ask."

* * *

Colby shifted the backpack he was carrying on his shoulder, knowing he would need to ice it when he finally got to a hotel room. He'd taken a bump awkwardly and he could feel a bruise starting as he walked through the airport with Joe and a very moody Jon. They were all tired and crabby but Jon was on another level. They'd planted themselves at a sports bar after the first delay and Jon barely spoke a word the whole time. Now, they'd given up on their flight after a second delay, deciding to rent a car and make the drive instead.

As they walked past their gate, he spotted Avery and Paige. They were hugging each other tightly, not an uncommon sight.

He whistled at them and they both turned, looking annoyed until they recognized him.

"I'm gonna go get the girls, tell them to come with," Colby announced.

"Col, I am asking you nicely, please do not do that," Jon sighed, throwing his head back.

"Dude, I'm not gonna leave them stranded here," Colby shook his head. He didn't care about Jon's cranky attitude. Avery and Paige were his friends. He was going to look out for them.

"They're in an airport," Jon gestured around. "They're not stranded."

Joe laughed. He always found more amusement in Jon's moodiness than Colby, "Just go get the girls. I'll stay with Debbie Downer over here."

Joe patted Jon roughly on the back and Colby laughed, turning and heading toward the women.

"Long time no see," Avery smiled, standing up and stretching. Paige opened her mouth but before she could speak she was overtaken by a long, dramatic yawn. They both looked dead tired.

"Hey," he smiled as Avery stood next to him, resting her head on his arm. He put his arm around her shoulders. "Get your bags and come ride with us."

"What?" Paige looked confused.

"Flight got delayed again. We're just gonna rent a car. It's only a four hour drive," he explained.

Avery looked over to where Jon and Joe were standing. Joe waved and Jon started looking around awkwardly.

"Yeah, I think we'll just stay here," Avery said.

"Come on, this flight is gonna get canceled," he insisted. "The storm's not stopping. Just give up."

"Don't jinx it," Avery reached up, covering his mouth.

He chuckled, moving her hand down to his chin, "We'll rent an SUV. We'll have plenty of room."

Paige seemed to be considering it but Avery shook her head, "No. No thank you. Paige, you can go if you want. I'm just gonna wait here. I'll make sure everyone's luggage is okay."

"Avery, stop it," he looked down at her. "We have appearances in the morning. We can't wait all night."

"I can if the alternative is a four hour car ride with my ex-boyfriend," she smiled. "I would rather curl into a ball and roll myself all the way to Pittsburgh.

"Okay fine, I tried asking but if you're gonna be stubborn," Colby reached down, picking up Avery's rather large carry-on bag. He started walking toward the guys without another word. After a few seconds he could hear the girls shuffling things around before falling into step behind him.

* * *

_3 Hours Later…_

Avery woke up slowly, rubbing her eyes. She could always sleep in a car but she never failed to wake up the moment it stopped moving. She surveyed her surroundings, taking in the sight of a brightly lit gas station/convenience store. She looked at the clock on her phone and sighed. The drive was taking longer than they expected thanks to the storms that seemed to be following them up to Pennsylvania. She was in the backseat with Paige and Joe. Joe was sitting behind Jon and Paige was in the middle with her head on his shoulder, snoring lightly. Colby was already out, sliding his credit card into the gas pump. She knew this might be her last chance to get out and stretch so she opened her door to get out. Joe and Paige stirred quickly after her and got out to do the same.

Avery walked around to the other side of the truck, standing beside Colby as he started to fill the tank. His brown eyes looked tired as he ran a hand through his hair and leaned against the car beside her, offering a lazy smile.

"Thanks for making me come with you," she smiled up at him.

He laughed, "You're welcome. You're too stubborn for your own good."

"I disagree," she said. "I think I'm just stubborn enough."

"You _would_ think that," he rolled his eyes.

"You look tired," she said sympathetically. She knew she was tired and he'd worked a longer match than her.

"I am definitely tired," he nodded. "Just a few more hours though."

She looked into the convenience store and then back to him, "I'm gonna go get something to drink. You want anything?"

"Yeah, just a drink," he said. "Whatever you get."

"Deal," she patted him on the shoulder before heading inside. Jon was standing at the register and she breezed past him without a word. They hadn't spoken at all. She grabbed a few bottles of water and iced green tea and briefly surveyed the snack aisle before heading up to the register to pay for the drinks. She was surprised to see that Jon was still standing there, making small talk with the clerk who stood behind plate glass.

"You can put hers on here too," he pulled his wallet out and she narrowed her eyes. She got the impression that he'd been waiting for her.

"You don't have to do that," she said.

"Come on Avery, this nice man doesn't have all night to wait for you," he gestured for her to put the drinks down so the clerk could see what to enter in. Once everything was tallied, Jon slid his card and paid. He started loading the drinks into his already packed bag, "I take it you want one of these now."

"Two actually," she held out her hand and he gave her two bottles of water. "Thanks. What's in the bag?"

"Don't you worry about that," he answered. "Enjoying the ride?"

"Oh yeah. There's nothing more fun than middle of the night rain traffic," she rolled her eyes. She looked outside to see that Paige and Joe had resumed their naps in the car. Colby was still leaning against it, looking like he could fall asleep on his feet.

"He needs a break from driving," She nodded to their friend.

Jon followed her gaze and chuckled, "Yeah he looks pretty dead."

"I can drive for a while," she suggested.

"You sure?"

"It's either me or you," she shrugged. "Joe and Paige are already asleep again. They also need the most sleep to function."

"No one needs more sleep than Joe," Jon laughed. "If you wanna drive now, I'll finish up at the end if you need me to."

"Works for me," she agreed. He held open the door for her and she walked over to Colby.

"I'm tagging in. You can get some sleep."

He looked like he wanted to argue for a moment but thought better of it. He took the bottle of water she offered him, "Thanks Av."

"Anytime," she smiled. "Get in the back."

"You don't want me to help you stay up?"

"I got it man, I'll sit up front with her," Jon came over, clapping a hand on his shoulder.

Colby gave Avery a confused look and she shrugged, just as puzzled as he was. He shrugged, walking around to sit in the back.

Avery got into the driver's seat and once everyone was situated, she pulled away from the station and followed the signs back to the highway. This would be an interesting drive.

* * *

Jon drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel staring at the road ahead. Avery drove for about an hour but when the roads started getting really slick, he convinced her to pull over and switch. That had been the full extent of their conversation. He'd intended to try and talk to her right away since the others were asleep but the words just hadn't come out. So they drove in awkward silence. He was beginning to think she'd fallen asleep when he didn't hear her tapping away at her phone anymore. When he stole a glance at her, he saw that she was still awake. She was looking out the window, quietly tapping the pads of her fingers on the door handle like she couldn't wait to get out. He knew he had to man up and say something. It was only going to get worse if he didn't.

"Hey, you gotta help me out here," he broke the silence. "The sound of Joe snoring is actually starting to lull me to sleep."

The corner of her mouth twitched upward just a fraction but she didn't say anything or turn toward him.

"You ready to talk to me yet?" he asked.

"I don't really have anything to say but if you do..I'll humor you," she offered.

"Okay," he sighed. "Well, first, I got you a peace offering."

Now she turned to him, raising an eyebrow, "What?"

"Look in the bag," he gestured to the bag at her feet.

She frowned, reaching down into the bag. He saw a faint smile touch her face when she pulled out a bag of buffalo flavored pretzels. She loved those things. He thought they were gross but when he saw them at the gas station he grabbed a bag, hoping it might help grease the wheels.

"Okay," she pulled the bag open. "I suppose you can continue."

"I know that the way I came at you the other day was a little..rough. I wasn't planning to do that. I just..I saw you and Claudio and I saw red. I should have taken a deep breath and walked away but…you know that's never been my strong suit."

"You're right, you should have just walked away," she broke a pretzel and ate half of it.

"I know," he nodded. "I'm sorry for that."

She looked confused for a moment and he laughed, "What?"

"I don't know how to deal with genuine contrition from you," she answered. "It's been a long time since I've seen it."

"Yeah well, I'm working on that," he smirked, wincing at the pain at the corner of his mouth. One of Randy's shots had left his right cheek sore and probably a little bruised. He hadn't actually looked.

She smiled, "Your face looks nice."

"You always told me I pulled off bruises well."

"What the hell happened out there?" she asked.

"Why do you wanna know?" he looked over at her.

"I'm just curious," she shrugged. "I don't really get why you would start a fight with Randy when you're supposed to be getting a big push. You could get in trouble."

"I didn't start anything," he frowned. "That guy is an asshole. You know that."

"Do I?" she asked. "It looked to me like you were working a little stiff and didn't like when he did it back."

"Of course _you_ think that," he laughed, shaking his head. He obviously couldn't expect her to be on his side while she was sneaking around with Orton. She was wrong. Randy was the one who potatoed him first. When he returned in kind, the so called Viper lost his cool. They jawed at each other all the way up the ramp. The only reason Jon stopped was because Colby pushed him out past the curtain and Jon wasn't about to get himself in the doghouse for fighting in front of everyone.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" she asked, offended. "You act like I'm biased."

"You're not?" he laughed.

"No, I'm not," she answered. "And if you're gonna be all weird like this just because I dared to ask you what happened, then maybe we just shouldn't talk."

"Fine," he agreed. "You're right. We shouldn't."

* * *

Avery plugged her phone into the car charger and then sat back, crossing her arms. She wished someone would wake up and talk to her. She'd caught a second win and couldn't fall asleep but she and Jon weren't talking and according to the GPS, they were 45 minutes away from the hotel. She was getting stir crazy. Jon was still tapping his thumbs on the steering wheel. He was obviously tense. She knew he wasn't pleased that she didn't assume Randy was at fault but something else was bothering him. She could feel it.

She rested her elbow on the armrest between them, looking at his bruised face. Joe and Paige were still snoring in the back and Colby was dead asleep with his mouth hanging open. It was talk to Jon or nothing.

"So…are you gonna tell me what you're so upset about?"

He looked over at her for a moment before turning his focus back to the road, "What makes you think I'm upset?"

"Well, you went from apologizing to me and giving me peace pretzels to getting mad and giving me the silent treatment," she explained.

"You're the one who suggested we don't talk," he reminded her.

"Because _you_ got all pissy."

"Okay, you're right," he rubbed his face. "I got testy. I'm just tired. It's been a long couple days."

"And…?" she gestured for him to continue.

"And I'm sorry," he laughed. "Happy?"

"Yes actually," she smirked. "So many apologies from you in one day. I don't know what to do with myself."

"You're gloating," he said. "Cute."

"Thank you," she giggled.

"I can finish the drive if you want," she offered when he yawned.

"Nah, it's okay. We're almost there," he shook his head. "But you can talk to me if you're bored."

"Lucky for you I am."

For the next forty minutes, the two of them managed to have a real conversation. They mostly talked about work but they didn't argue. He even made her laugh a few times. It was actually sort of fun. When they pulled into the hotel parking lot, her eyes were starting to drift closed.

"Home sweet home," he said, putting the car in park. "You wanna wake the kids or should I?"

"Everybody up!" Avery cupped her hands around her mouth, shouting into the backseat.

Colby woke with a start, looking panicked for a moment before he realized where he was. Joe opened one eye, glaring at her. Paige didn't move a muscle.

Everyone except the young Brit got out of the car, unloading their bags. Jon lifted Avery's carry on out, draping the strap over her shoulder.

"You want help upstairs?" Colby asked. It took Avery a moment to understand him through his yawning.

"No, you need to find a bed," she laughed. "Thank you though."

Joe grabbed his bag and headed into the hotel without a word. No one was surprised. He was never very social when he needed sleep. Colby followed behind and then Avery looked into the car at her sleeping best friend, shaking her head, wondering if she was going to have to carry her like a baby.

"You got everything?" Jon asked, closing the trunk.

"Almost," she laughed, opening the back door. She leaned in, lightly rubbing Paige's arm, "Time to go upstairs P."

Paige grumbled, her eyes fluttering open.

"Come on, we gotta go," she said getting out and allowing Paige to scoot over. She wasn't totally awake but she was at least moving around. Once Paige was out of the car and they were standing with Jon, Avery felt a little awkward.

"You sure you don't need help?" he asked.

"I'm sure, I can get this one upstairs myself," she smiled. "You should go do something about your face."

"I can't help it," he shrugged. "I was born with it."

"Yeah, that's too bad," she smirked. "I'll see you tomorrow."

"Goodnight."

* * *

Jon tossed his bag down, flipping on his hotel room's dim light. He took his wallet out of his pocket, along with his keys and phone and set them down on a table, stripping out of his jacket and kicking off his shoes. He was worn out but he couldn't see himself getting to sleep anytime soon. He had too many things going through his head.

He was thinking about Avery; about how they actually got along for a while in the car. And seeing her leaving with Randy the other night. Part of him still wondered if he misinterpreted what he saw. Maybe there wasn't anything going on with them.

He shook his head, grabbing a bottle of water out of the mini-fridge. Obviously there was something going on, Randy practically grabbed her ass right in front of him.

He shouldn't even care. What Avery did was her business. It had nothing to do with him. But still, the idea that she could be hooking up with Randy irked him. Randy was a narcissistic asshole. He was not the type of guy that Avery should be with.

Jon's pocket started buzzing and he raked his hand through his hair. He had a way to find out exactly what was happening between the two of them. He pulled the phone out of his pocket, tossing it down on the bed.

Avery's phone.

She left it in the car on the charger. He didn't see it at first but when he realized he had to park the car in a different spot, he noticed it as he was getting out. By that time, the girls were long gone. He would call Paige but she was clearly very tired. They were probably already sleeping. He would just give it back in the morning. And until then…

He picked up the phone, hitting the button to unlock it. The number pad popped up, prompting him to type in a passcode. He was sure she'd changed it. But just in case she hadn't, he typed in the same 4 digit code that she used for everything. 1867, the number of her grandparents' house.

Just like that, the phone was unlocked. The picture on the background was of Avery and Paige dressed as the Bella Twins on Halloween.

If he thought too much about what he was doing, he would second guess it so instead he went straight to her text messages. The most recent thread was with a number that she didn't have saved under a name. He selected it, reading over the last messages.

_Everything okay?_

_**Everything's fine. Sorry I didn't stop to see you on the way out. I just needed to get out of there. Your ex almost got his ass kicked.**_

Well that confirmed that it was Randy. He talked a big game but when they were face to face, he didn't do anything.

_**Did your flight get cancelled?**_

_It did. I already left though. We're riding to Pittsburgh with the guys._

_**Which guys?**_

_Colby, Joe, Jon_

_**Sounds like a shitty ride. You should have listened to me. You could be in my bed right now.**_

_You were right. Next time I'll listen._

Jon frowned, tossing the phone back down. He didn't need to see more. It was right there in black and white. Randy didn't even seem to know Avery existed when she and Jon were together. They didn't have mutual friends, they didn't talk. But now he was sleeping with her. And Jon had a pretty good idea why.

* * *

_Tuesday…_

Avery rifled through the bed covers, searching for her phone.

"I don't see it," Paige came out of the bathroom. "Are you sure you brought it upstairs last night?"

"Yeah, I'm sure," Avery nodded, plopping down, looking around the room. "I made sure we had everything."

When they got up to their room, they both passed out right away. Avery didn't realize she didn't have her phone until after she got out of the shower. Now, she had to be downstairs in 10 minutes and she couldn't find it anywhere.

"I called it. It's going straight to voicemail," Paige said. "The battery must be dead."

"Wonderful," Avery got off the bed, tucking her hair behind her ears as she looked around again.

"It's okay. We'll find it," Paige patted her on the shoulder. "But you better get downstairs. You don't need to get in trouble for being late."

"Yeah, I guess I should just go," she sat down, pulling on a pair of black suede, over the knee boots. "Joe's going too, if you find my phone, just call or text him."

"Of course," she nodded. "I will look for it again once I wake up."

"You're going back to sleep?" she frowned.

"Yes, _you're_ the one with somewhere to be right now, not me," Paige laughed. "I'll look when I get up. I promise. Now go."

"Okay, okay, fine," she grabbed a long, chunky sweater. She'd packed her coat in her luggage, which would be arriving later that morning, so the sweater was the warmest thing she had. She grabbed her purse and sunglasses and checked for her room key. Paige was already crawling back into bed when Avery got to the door. "See you later."

"Love you! Bye!"

Avery rushed to the elevator. She felt naked without her phone but she hoped someone would run across it. Maybe one of the guys grabbed it by accident. She'd already texted Joe and Colby from Paige's phone but they hadn't responded yet. When she made it downstairs, she walked quickly through the lobby and out the front door, looking around for Joe. She saw no sign of him but they had a few minutes before their ride was due.

She put her hands in her pockets, unsure of what else to do with them. She looked out at the parking lot and to her surprise, Jon caught her eye. She didn't think he would be awake but there he was, strolling toward her, looking like he'd just rolled out of bed.

"Hey," she pushed her sunglasses up as he got closer. "What are you doing out here?"

"Apparently I'm going with you instead of Joe," he explained. "I got a call from PR this morning."

"Why isn't Joe coming? He's not sick is he?"

"No, he's dragging himself out of bed. They didn't tell me why they made the switch. They just told me to be down here by 8," he answered, reaching into his pocket.

"They like it when you flirt with the news anchors," she suggested.

"I'm charming, what can I say?" he smirked. "I have another present for you."

"Is it another apology?" she smiled. "I don't know if I can take any more."

"I haven't done anything bad since the last time I saw you," he laughed as he pulled out what she originally thought was his phone. Then she realized it was hers.

"Oh my God," she smiled excitedly as he handed it over. "Where did you find it? I've been looking everywhere."

"I just ran to grab something out of the truck and it was still plugged into the charger," he explained. "I thought you might be looking for it. You're gonna have to charge it though. I think it's dead."

She was thrilled to have her phone back. She hated losing things. She never handled it well. Their black SUV arrived and the driver got out, coming around to the back to open the door for them. Jon allowed her to get in first and took the seat beside her.

"Thank you so much," she smiled, putting the phone into her purse. "I checked with everyone _but_ you this morning."

"And therein lies your problem," he laughed.

"I guess so," she smirked, toying with her purse strap.

They were quiet for a few beats as the driver pulled out of the hotel lot and headed toward their destination. She wasn't sure what to say. They'd actually gotten along the night before and a part of her was scared that if she talked too much, they would just start fighting again. She looked over at him and he was looking down at his hands. He opened his mouth like he was going to speak but shook his head and looked out the window instead. Avery looked out her own window, leaning back in her seat. She couldn't relax though. She felt too awkward. She could feel him next to her. He always ran hot and when he put his hand down on the seat between them, she could feel the warmth.

"Look, I was thinking last night…"

His voice jarred her and she turned toward him, waiting for him to continue.

"I was hoping that you and I could..I don't know..work on trying to be friends or whatever," he scratched his head, looking uncharacteristically insecure. "If you're willing to, I guess."

"To be friends or whatever?" she smirked at his choice of words. "Where did this come from?"

"It was nice last night, having a conversation without us going after each other," he explained. "All of our friends are sick of us fighting. Win takes it _very_ personally."

"He really does," she laughed.

"My point is..maybe it's time we try to be okay with each other," he shrugged. "And I get it if you don't want to but I'm going to try and be better. It's only gonna get worse if I don't."

Avery looked down at her hands, mulling over what he said. He was right, everyone was sick of their bickering. And it _was_ sort of nice to be able to talk to him, even if only for a short time.

"Win would be _awfully_ proud of us," she looked up at him again. "And we wouldn't have to play tug of war with Colby."

"I think he likes that we fight over him," Jon laughed.

"That may be true," she nodded. "But I think you're right. It's only gonna get worse if we don't work on it. It won't hurt to try."

He gave her a relieved smile, "I thought you were just gonna tell me to go fuck myself."

"It's still early," she shrugged. "Besides, I'm still happy with you for finding my phone. Thank you again."

"You're welcome," he laughed. "So…now that you and I are friends, is there..anything you wanna talk to me about?"

She made a face, "No. What would I want to talk to you about?"

"I don't know, I'm just wondering," he shrugged. "Isn't this what friends do?"

She didn't believe him. He wouldn't ask something like that without a reason. But she wasn't going to push it for now. They did _just_ agree to try and be friends. She supposed that meant she should stop being suspicious for at least a few minutes.

"It's a little soon for us to be sharing our lives," she laughed. "Let's just try to tolerate each other for the day. Baby steps."

* * *

Nikki sighed deeply, waiting as the camera setup was changed. She was at brunch with Brie, Eva, Nattie, and Trinity and, of course, it was being filmed for Total Divas. They were shooting Nattie as though she just arrived even though she'd already been there and started eating her food. Eating a meal could be a struggle when they were shooting. There was so much stop and start; food got cold, drinks got warm, and the girls got antsy.

Nattie walked in, going around the table and greeting everyone.

"You look gorgeous," she smiled at Nikki.

"Thank you," Nikki got up to give her a quick hug. She knew her shirt was a little too low cut for brunch but she did look damn good.

Once Nattie took her seat again, everyone started talking. They'd been asked to discuss work.

"I really think that the Divas division is in a good place right now," Trinity said. "I mean, I feel bad that AJ got hurt but I think there's a lot of us that are in a position to step up."

"I have to say, I have improved so much and gotten so much more comfortable after working with Sara," Nikki said. She would sing the praises of Sara Amato forever. When she and Brie returned to the WWE in 2013, she was thrilled with the prospect of working with the former independent star and the company's first female trainer. Sara worked primarily with the talent in NXT but she traveled on the road periodically and between that and the Performance Center on off days, Nikki tried to soak up as much as she could from her.

"Sara is amazing," Nattie said. "She's really helped us all elevate what we do."

"And Avery and Paige," Nikki added. "They've both really helped me out."

"Yeah, they're both so good," Brie agreed. "They make me want to step my game up."

Nikki happened to be looking in Eva's direction and saw the redhead roll her eyes so hard she might have sprained something.

Brie caught it too and put her drink down, "Wait, Eva, what was that?"

"What? Nothing," Eva shook her head. "I didn't say anything."

"You didn't have to," Brie said. "Everyone just saw your face. What's the problem?"

Nikki took a bite of her food to keep from laughing at her sister. It seemed that the older they got the more Brie lost her filter. She used to be the type of person to pull someone aside for a quiet conversation. Now, if she saw something, she was going to call it out right then and there regardless of the setting. It was a big part of why the show's producers loved her so much.

"I just don't get along with Paige and Avery," Eva said. "They don't like me."

"What makes you think that?" Brie asked.

"I feel like they're always giving me the side eye," Eva said. "I think they look down on me because they think that some of their friends in NXT should be in my place."

"Eva, they don't think that," Nikki shook her head. She didn't elaborate but she knew for a fact that it wasn't true. Paige didn't think she was taking someone else's place, she didn't think Eva should be there at all. Avery wasn't Eva's biggest fan either but Eva hadn't done anything to help with that. The side eye was usually coming from her first.

"I just don't think they've made any effort to, like, get to know me," Eva said, making Nikki want to be the one rolling her eyes.

She liked Eva, she really did. They'd bonded over the show's filming and she considered the other woman a friend. She could be very immature though. She often assumed that people were envious of her and used it as an excuse to isolate herself.

"Have you tried to get to know them?" Nikki asked.

"I have enough going on in my life right now," Eva sighed. "I really can't bring in any negativity."

"By saying that, you're making an assumption about them," Nikki said.

"You can't say that they're negative people when you haven't actually tried to get to know them," Brie completed her thought.

Eva nodded, "You're right. I get enough people doing that to me."

Nikki could hear Brie mumble 'shut up' under her breath. Brie wasn't overly fond of Eva. They had a strained friendship at best. They got along most of the time but Eva could quickly get on Brianna's nerves.

"You should really try and talk to them," Nikki suggested. "Maybe Avery could help you in the ring like she's helped me."

Out of everyone at the table, Eva was by far the most green in the ring. There was always talk of the company _wanting_ to push her but she never seemed to improve. She looked surprised at the suggestion but she shrugged, "Okay. That would be great. You think she would be willing to do that?"

"Yeah, she's always willing to help," Nikki nodded enthusiastically. As soon as she said it she knew she was going to regret it. She didn't know what came over her. Encouraging Eva to get to know Avery and Paige was one thing; that was just her being kind and mature, wanting peace in the locker room. Volunteering Avery to help Eva? That was dumb.

Brie started coughing and Nikki looked over at her sister, patting her on the back to make sure she was okay.

Brie picked up her glass of water, smirking, "Avery's gonna kill you."

* * *

Colby nodded, listening as Mark Carano further explained to him and Jon where there feud would be going toward the end of the year. He was looking forward to it. He was loving getting to play the heel. He loved his time as a Shield member but he really felt like he was coming into his own now. It was fun getting to be the man everyone loved to hate.

The sound of heels on the floor drew his attention and he looked up to see Avery walking in their direction, looking down at her phone. She scolded him so much for being on his phone but lately, she couldn't seem to spend a moment away from hers. She looked up for a moment and when she caught him looking, she made a goofy face at him, crossing her eyes and puffing out her cheeks. He rubbed his hand over his beard to hide his smile. She was always trying to make him laugh. He was great when there was a camera on him but she'd discovered how easily he broke when he wasn't being filmed. They'd learned a lot about each other in recent months. One of the good things that seemed to stem from she and Jon breaking up was that they had grown a lot closer.

_I got you_ she mouthed, winking at him.

He shook his head, trying to turn his attention back to the conversation. He could see her making another face but he tried not to look at her.

"Avery, why don't you come over here?" Mark asked, unfazed by her goofiness. "This concerns you too."

"It does?" she looked surprised, walking over to stand between Colby and Jon. She looked up at Colby but he shrugged, not sure of what the other man was talking about.

"It does," Carano confirmed. "You're obviously coming into an angle with The Authority."

"Yeah, we've been playing up the tension with Stephanie and I," she nodded. "I wasn't aware that it would be any more than that."

"Right, well, it's not going to end with just you and Steph," he explained.

Avery nodded, looking over at Jon, her expression wary. Colby knew what she was thinking. It was written all over her face. She was horrified at the idea that they were going to pair her up with Jon. Jon looked just as apprehensive. Colby couldn't blame either of them for thinking it. He never bought the story that pairing them as a tag team at those house shows was a timing issue.

"What exactly does that mean?" she asked, crossing her arms, her stance tense and annoyed.

"You two are also going to be working together," Carano pointed at her and…Colby.

Jon actually breathed an audible sigh of relief.

Avery's hazel eyes went wide.

"Me?" Colby asked.

"So this has _nothing_ to do with me?" Jon asked.

Carano laughed, "Only peripherally. You and Avery are both, _separately_, in conflict with The Authority."

"And me?" Colby laughed.

"And you."

"I'm confused," Avery frowned.

"I'm gonna go," Jon smiled. "As long as I am no longer needed here."

"You're good to go."

Jon didn't bother to hide his happiness as he scurried away. He turned, backing down the hallway, smiling and waving.

"I don't get this either," Colby said. "How does that work? Why would I have a conflict with Avery?"

"Ever seen the movie Indecent Proposal?" Mark asked.

"_What_?" Avery stared.

Colby couldn't help but laugh. He'd never watched the movie but he had a pretty good idea of what it was about.

"Calm down, I don't mean that literally," Mark put his hands up.

"You better not," Avery said. "Because Seth Rollins trying to buy a night with me for a million dollars is not very PG, Mark."

"That isn't what's going to happen," he laughed. "But he is going to show an interest in you that you don't return. And he'll offer to help your problems with Stephanie if you change your mind."

"So Rollins is a giant sleaze?" Avery asked.

"Aren't I already?" Colby laughed. Hitting on an attractive woman wouldn't be anywhere near the worst thing he'd done since his turn.

"Yeah but propositioning me like that makes it even worse," she looked over at him. She seemed completely perplexed by the idea.

"I think that's the point," Colby smirked.

"This seems silly," Avery said. "He's supposed to be the golden boy of The Authority. He's good looking. He could get any girl he wants."

"Thank you Avery."

"Exactly. But he wants _you_," Carano explained. "And _you_ don't want _him_."

"Because I'm a scum bag?" Colby suggested.

"See? He gets it," Mark pointed. "You guys will have fun with this. Don't stress out about it. Besides, this idea comes straight from Vince so…"

Everyone knew what that meant. If Vince had an idea, no matter how you felt about it, you went along with it. Fortunately for Colby, he didn't have a problem with it. He didn't quite see the purpose but he wasn't opposed to the idea. It was harmless.

"We'll be fine," Colby said confidently, patting Avery on the shoulder. "I take it this is gonna start soon?"

"It is. We'll film the two of you in an hour."

"An hour?" she stared.

"I've gotta make some calls. I'll see you two later," Mark excused himself, giving them the thumbs up as he walked away.

"They really love to just spring things on us and wander off, don't they?" Colby watched after him.

"This is gonna be weird," Avery declared, turning so that they were facing each other. "Why does it seem like you don't think so?"

"Because I don't," he laughed. "We're adults. It would suck if I had to flirt with someone I don't like but we're friends. It'll be fine."

* * *

_Thursday…_

Kevin bent at the waist, hands on his knees, breathing deeply. He and Avery had been working non-stop in the ring all afternoon. He did pretty well for a while but now he was sucking down air like crazy and Avery was running in place, smiling from ear to ear.

"You are an evil sorceress," he pointed at her.

"You gotta work on that cardio," she patted him on the back before she started side skipping around the ring.

"My cardio is fine," he started to straighten up, still catching his breath. "I'm just not some giant lunged freak like you are."

Avery rarely ever got winded. It was almost disturbing. The only person Kevin knew with better cardio was Claudio. He didn't feel bad about himself though. He was getting into the best shape of his life and, so far, he was getting great reviews since he started working at the Performance Center. And regardless of her stellar conditioning, Avery still came to him when she wanted to work on her move set.

"We can be done if you want," she stopped skipping.

"No, let's just take a break," he suggested. He knew she was feeling better about what they'd worked on but she was just as much of a perfectionist as he was. She wouldn't be comfortable until they'd worked at it a little longer.

She smiled, "Break works for me. I'll get water."

Kevin slid out of the ring and Avery went through the ropes, jumping down from the apron. He grabbed a towel, wiping the sweat from his brow and plopping down onto the mats around the ring, stretching his legs.

He felt an ice cold sensation on the back of his neck and he cringed, pulling the bottle out of her hand, "Avery!"

She laughed, sitting down and pressing the soles of her feet together. He waited for her to lean forward and once her forehead was close to her feet, he grabbed the end of her ponytail.

She shrieked, slapping at his hand until he let go, chuckling. They really were like brother and sister sometimes. He always got a kick out of poking at her and vice versa.

"So," he nudged her foot with his as she tried to fix her hair. "What's going on with you?"

They'd been talking about work all day. He would be making his debut at the next NXT Takeover special. She was hopefully next in line for the Divas Championship and getting this push with The Authority. They were up to speed professionally but he wanted to know what was going on in her life outside of work. He felt a lot of responsibility for Avery. She wasn't close to her parents and she didn't like to worry her grandparents so she didn't tell them much. He sometimes worried that there weren't enough people looking out for her.

"Not too much. Things are good," she put her ponytail holder in her mouth, gathering up her hair. "It's been kind of a weird week."

"How so?" he asked, taking a long drink of his water.

"Well..Jon and I are gonna try to be friends."

His eyes narrowed and he leaned forward, "And why the hell are you doing that?"

Kevin had once considered Jon somewhat of a friend but he lost all respect for the guy when he cheated on Avery.

Avery shrugged, "We kind of got stuck with a lot of time to talk on Monday night and…he apologized for getting in my face last week."

"Oh yeah?" Kevin scoffed, shaking his head. "Did he apologize for being a cheating asshole too?"

She sighed deeply, rubbing her hands over her face.

He knew what she wanted to say. He knew that she wanted to tell him that Jon cheated _one time_. It was her instinct, even after what he did, to defend him to Kevin.

Kevin knew the way Avery thought. When she defended Jon, she wasn't actually defending what he did. She was defending what they had. She was defending herself for staying with him and fighting for their relationship when Kevin had told her so many times to give up. But Avery knew him just as well as he knew her. And she knew what would happen if she said it again. So she didn't. She just bit her lip and looked up at the ceiling. The thing that Avery didn't understand was that he _believed_ that Jon had only cheated once. But that one time was enough for Kevin to feel that Jon would never deserve her friendship, or any kind of attention from her, ever again.

"I know you think I'm stupid-"

"I didn't call you stupid," he corrected her.

"It's just difficult to have so much tension and anger with someone who used to mean so much to me," she explained. "It's exhausting."

"I wouldn't give the son of a bitch the time of day," Kevin said. "But you're a nicer person than me. Just..keep your eyes open, okay?"

"Keep my eyes open?" she smirked. "I agreed to _try_ and be _friends_. That's all. We're not getting back together. It may not even work."

She looked down at her nails at the end of her sentence and Kevin swallowed a sigh. He wouldn't tell her because she would argue, but he could tell how much she wanted it to work.

"Alright, what else is going on?" he gestured for her to continue.

"Nothing really," she smiled, toying with the laces on her boot.

"So there's a boy," Kevin rolled his eyes.

She laughed, shaking her head, "No there's not."

Her cheeks flushed and he laughed, "There is most definitely a boy. Who is it?"

"You're imagining things," she shook her head.

"Come on," he tossed his empty water bottle at her. "Fess up. I don't have all day."

Avery stood up, brushing off the back of her pants and sliding into the ring, mumbling something that sounded like Sandy Morton.

It took Kevin a moment to make out the name, "What?!"

"What?" Avery looked around like she didn't know what he was talking about.

"Randy Orton?" Kevin stared. "You're dating _Randy Orton_?"

When Avery broke her own rules she certainly did it big. She told him she was done with guys in the business and now she was with one of the faces of the company.

"I wouldn't say _dating_," she put her hands on her hips.

"Okay, so then what? You're just..talking?" he asked, confused, joining her in the ring.

She twisted her mouth, shrugging one shoulder and he shook his head, realizing where this was going, "Oh come on Av."

He did not need to know what he now knew. Her answers made that obvious.

"You're the one who asked," she reminded him.

"How did that even happen?" Kevin asked. "I didn't know you even hung out around him."

"I didn't really," she answered. "He showed up here one day when I was working with Nikki. She thought he was checking me out, I didn't. But after that, I don't know, we just sort of started..running into each other more. And then Nikki invited him to a party at her and John's place and we were drinking and-"

"That's good, you can stop there," he gave her the kill gesture, swiping his hand in front of his throat.

"Why are you so uncomfortable?" she laughed. "It's just sex."

"Stop," he pointed at her.

"Stop what? Stop saying _sex_," she asked.

"Keep it up and I won't let you come over for dinner tonight," he pointed.

"Fine, fine, I'll stop," she put her hands up. "But only because you have the cutest kids in the world and I miss their little faces."

Kevin shrugged, "Whatever it takes."


	11. Second Hand News

_Saturday_

Jon grabbed a handful of t-shirts out of a drawer, tossing them haphazardly in the direction of his suitcase. He had every intention of packing the night before but then he went out for a beer with a friend. One became two and then three and then he woke up on his couch using his jacket as a pillow. Fortunately his flight was late so he had plenty of time. He opened another drawer, grabbing a bunch of boxers and tossing them on top of the t-shirts. After a few minutes, he was pretty sure he had everything he needed. When he surveyed the pile on his bed, he chuckled to himself. The mess made him think of Avery. His disorganized packing always drove her up the wall. She would usually either take over in the middle or redo everything when he thought he was done. He actually liked it better her way, he could find things so much faster, but he never admitted it to her because he liked to drive her a little bit crazy. He liked getting a rise out of her. It wasn't always easy; she could dish it just as well as he could. They kept each other on their toes. When they were together he was never bored. He really thought he'd met his match in her.

He sat down on the bed next to his pile of clothes, looking around the room. It was frustrating how much his place still reminded him of her. There was no avoiding her shadow all over the place. She was with him the day he signed the lease. He had appointments to look at five apartments that day but he was satisfied with the first one. She tried to convince him to look at the others but they both only had a few days off and he cared more about spending time with her than a couple extra square feet or marble countertops versus granite ones. She helped him pick out most of his furniture and convinced him to have the walls painted so it looked like a real person lived there. She was probably the only reason there were dishes in the cabinets and one of those little rugs on the bathroom floor. She was what made it feel like a home. He actually avoided coming home for a few weeks after they broke up because he knew how hard it would be. He still occasionally found things that belonged to her; t-shirts, socks, yoga pants, those black ponytail holders she always used or had around her wrists. He never really knew what to do with any of it. He didn't feel right throwing them away but he thought it would be weird to give them back to her, like he was handing over reminders of their failure. So he just left it all in a bottom drawer. Maybe someday he'd figure out a better solution.

The shrill sound of his phone ringing drew him out of his thoughts. He picked up the phone, answering when he saw Colby's name, "What's up?"

"Just arrived in beautiful Casper, Wyoming," Colby announced. "When's your flight get in?"

"Late," Jon answered, putting the phone on speaker so that he could pack his things into the bag. "Around 3, I think."

"Damn, Joe's getting in late too," Colby said. "I think Avery and Paige are here. Maybe I'll hit them up, see if they wanna have lunch."

"Gotta kill the time somehow," Jon said. "Listen, since you mentioned Avery…I've been meaning to ask you something."

"Ask away."

"Did you know about her and Randy?"

He figured that Avery was keeping it a secret but she and Colby seemed to be the best of friends lately. Maybe he was in the loop.

"No clue what you're talking about," Colby sounded confused. "Randy who?"

"So you _don't_ know," Jon laughed. "She's sleeping with Orton."

"What?" Colby scoffed. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"I think that was pretty clear. Do we need to have the birds and bees talk again?"

"I heard you but you're not making sense," Colby said. "Avery isn't hooking up with Randy."

"I saw them leaving together one night," Jon explained.

"You saw them leaving at the _same time_," he corrected.

"No, they were definitely leaving together."

"That doesn't make sense," Colby said. "Avery barely even _knows_ him. You must've read it wrong."

"I didn't read her texts wrong," Jon shook his head. As soon as it came out, he wished it hadn't.

"What?"

Jon raked a hand through his hair, knowing this wasn't going to get a good reaction, "I may or may not have…gone through Avery's phone."

"What do you mean you went through her phone?"

Jon could see the disapproving look on Colby's face in his head.

"The other night when she left it in the car," he explained. "I took it upstairs."

It sounded bad when he was explaining it to someone else but he really did have good intentions at the time.

"You broke into it?!"'

"It's a phone, Col, not a vault," Jon rolled his eyes. "And she didn't change her password."

"That doesn't make it okay to invade her privacy," Colby admonished. "Avery stays out of your business. You should stay out of hers."

"I know, I get it. It was wrong to go through her phone but can we revisit the fact that Avery is screwing that jerk? You need to talk to her."

"And how would you suggest I do that?" Colby asked.

"Just tell her you saw them or something," Jon shrugged. "I don't know. Figure it out."

"Why do you care?" his friend questioned. "I mean, this wouldn't be Avery's smartest move but..she's a single adult. She can do whatever she wants."

"As her friend, _you_ should be concerned about her getting involved with someone like him. He's obviously trying to get to me. Orton thinks I'm gonna find out about him and Avery and freak out."

"Wait…you're actually making this about you?" Colby laughed. "This is why they call you a lunatic."

"Because I'm showing concern for Avery?" Jon asked.

"No, because you think the only reason that's going on is _you_," Colby answered. "I'm not about to talk to her about this. I don't want her thinking I had anything to do with you going through her phone. Just leave it alone."

* * *

"Here you go, enjoy your stay."

Avery smiled and thanked the young man as he handed over keycards and a guide to entertainment in the area that she definitely didn't need. As with many cities they traveled to, they would only be staying one night. She walked over to Paige, Nikki, and Brie who were waiting near the elevators. Poor Paige's nose was rubbed raw. There was some sort of a bug going around the roster and she'd caught it. Knock on wood, Avery had managed to dodge it so far.

"We're all good," she handed one of the keycards to Paige as Nikki pressed the button for the elevator.

Nikki sighed deeply, crossing her arms, her eyes downcast. She had been a mope fest all day, from the moment they got to the airport in Florida. Avery had hoped she would cheer up a little once they met up with Brie when they got to Casper but having her twin around did not improve her mood. John was off the road for the weekend and she was having some mild separation anxiety.

"Nicole, stop it," Brie rolled her eyes. "You can survive one weekend without him. You're being ridiculous."

"Damn Brie," Paige laughed. "Nothing like a sisterly pep talk."

"Someone has to tell her when she's being ridiculous," Brianna shrugged.

"Spell ridiculous," Nikki challenged.

The sisters bickered the entire way up to their floor.

"Okay, that's enough," Avery played referee, stepping between them as they exited the elevator, continuing on toward their rooms. She draped her arm over Nikki's shoulders, "It's okay Nik. Monday isn't that far away. Brie is right, you'll survive. We'll have a Girls' Night."

"You say that now but Randy's gonna show up to give you the D and then no more Girls Night," Nikki gave her a look.

Avery shot an alarmed look in Brie's direction but Nikki waved her hand, "Calm down, Brie already knows."

"You know I'm nosy," Brie shrugged. "I was looking over her shoulder while she was texting. Good for you, by the way."

"Thanks?" Avery responded awkwardly. She redirected her attention to Nikki, "You're lucky I feel bad that you've been pouting all day so I'm not gonna yell at you for that."

"Well since you're feeling that way, I should probably tell you something else," Nikki said. "I may have, kind of, told Eva that you would help her out in the ring."

Avery stopped walking; the arm that was draped over Nikki's shoulders moved up to her neck, stopping her in her tracks, "You did what now?"

"I told you she was gonna kill you," Brie smirked as they stopped.

"It just slipped out," Nikki laughed, pulling Avery's arm away from her neck.

"You know that's _never_ gonna happen, right?" Paige sniffed.

"For someone who is in good shape, Eva is one of the least naturally athletic people I've ever seen," Avery lamented.

"I was trying to think of a way to bring all of us together," Nikki explained.

Avery admired Nikki's desire to keep peace in the locker room. She really took her status as a veteran seriously. But this was a bad idea. She could feel it.

"Eva is always the one throwing us shitty looks and acting like she's better than us," Paige frowned. "If anyone should be trying to make peace, it should be her. Not you Nikki and _definitely_ not us."

"I agree," Brie nodded. "Eva's a big girl. She needs to take care of her own problems."

"Yeah but now that Nikki volunteered me I'm gonna look like an asshole if I say no," Avery ran a hand through her hair.

"Who cares if you look like an asshole?" Paige scoffed.

"I do," Avery rubbed her face. Paul had just given her a talk about being a representative of the brand. She truly wanted to bring greatness to the Divas division. She had always been willing to help others before, she could do this. On a limited basis.

"I'm gonna kill you," she glared at her friend.

"If it makes you feel better, you can consider John not being here as my punishment," Nikki offered.

Avery rolled her eyes, "I will do it. But I'm only promising _one_ time. _No_ cameras."

"Thank you," Nikki smiled.

Brie shook her head, laughing, "You are a saint."

* * *

Colby dropped his bags on the floor, surveying his room. The hotel they were staying at was small but nice. The room looked clean; he just hoped the bed was comfortable. His back had been bothering him for the last few days. He flopped down on the bed to test it out and was pleasantly surprised. He was beginning to consider taking a nap when he heard his phone beep in his pocket. He pulled it out and saw that Avery responded to his text asking if they were there yet.

_We're here. 303._

He was more hungry than tired so he got up, grabbing his keys and making the short trip down the hall to their room. Avery answered the door a moment after he knocked.

"Hey," she smiled. "That was fast."

"I just put my bags down," he pointed toward his own room. "I'm in 310."

"Are you in a single or a double?" she asked. For a long time, Colby, Joe, and Jon would all pile into one double room to save money. It wasn't until after the Shield breakup that they acknowledged they were making enough money to room on their own.

"Flying solo," he smiled, grateful for every night spent without the sound of Joe snoring like a buzzsaw.

"Uh oh," she teased, wiggling her eyebrows at him.

He laughed, shaking his head, "Where's your other half?"

"Passed out. Fell asleep right when she hit the bed. She's got a cold or something," she explained, shooting a look over her shoulder. "I was just gonna Google some places nearby, try and find her some good soup."

"Well, do you wanna take a break from being nursemaid and get lunch?" he asked. "My treat. We can bring back soup for sleeping beauty."

"That sounds great. I am starving and she's probably gonna be out for a while," she said, waving him into the room. "Come on in. I just need shoes."

He waited near the door while she pulled on a pair of boots and grabbed her jacket.

Once she was ready, they decided to walk to a diner down the street. As they walked, Avery looped her arm around Colby's, "We haven't hung out alone in forever."

He laughed, putting his hand over hers, "We don't exactly have a lot of time these days."

Over the summer they hung out all the time. They worked out together, went to concerts on off days and every random street festival they could find. They became closer than they had the entire time they'd known each other. They were finally friends on their own without Jon as a conduit between them.

"Well we need to make more time," she said, huddling closer to him when the wind picked up.

"Agreed," he laughed. "What's been going on?"

"Nothing crazy," she shrugged. "I figured out my next tattoo."

"Oh yeah? What are you doing this time?"

"A Nashville postmark," she answered. "I've been feeling a little homesick lately and last time I was in Florida my grandmother sent me this beautiful handwritten letter and the postmark inspired me."

"You sure Grammie would approve of that?"

Avery's grandmother Dixie had come backstage at a few shows and visited her quite a few times in Florida. She was a sweet woman who seemed to worship the ground Avery walked on but Dixie was not a big fan of all of her body art.

"Grammie will live," Avery laughed. "I'm gonna use her birthday for the date. That ought to grease her old wheels a little."

"Let me know when you go get it," he suggested. "I'll tag along."

"Sounds like a plan," she said. "It'll be soon."

"So what else is new?" he asked. Jon's stupid voice was in the back of his mind, telling him to talk to her about Randy. He wasn't going to ask her directly but he _did_ wonder if she would say anything.

"Nothing really," she shrugged. "I have been thinking a lot about this angle we're supposed to be doing."

"And what are you thinking?"

"Obviously I have no problem working with you," she said. "And I know that Carano told us it would just be us but…"

"You're suspicious?" he asked.

"_Beyond_," she nodded. "Any story that ever involves a woman and unwanted advances _always_ ends up involving another man. I'm not an idiot. I was relieved for the first few minutes when he told us but I don't believe for one second that this is just gonna be between me and you."

"So then who do you think the other guy is?" Colby smirked.

She gave him a look dripping with displeasure and he laughed, "Okay so we both think it's Jon."

"Yes, we do," she nodded. "Those tag matches always made me suspicious and the way that Carano kept being all vague about the angle made me think there's something that he doesn't want to be the one to tell me."

"I wouldn't want to be the one to tell you either," he chuckled.

"Yeah but you would wouldn't you?" she turned her eyes up toward him.

"Would what?"

She moved in front of him to look in his eyes, walking backward, "You would tell me if you knew something. Right?"

"Of course I would," he assured her. He thought about crossing his fingers behind his back. He truly didn't know anything about what creative had planned for them but he did know some things that she would probably want to be privy to. He didn't like keeping it from her but it wasn't like he was _lying_. He was just choosing not to tell her about Jon's actions. It wouldn't do anyone any good if he told her. Hopefully Jon would just let it go like Colby told him.

"It's not _just_ Jon that I have an issue with," she said. "I don't wanna be the damsel in distress."

"I don't think anyone would ever call you that," Colby laughed.

Her phone beeped and she pulled it out, turning to walk straight.

"Who's that?"

"Nikki," she answered. "She wants to go to lunch."

"Well then it's a good thing I have better timing," he laughed. "I still find it weird that you two are such good friends."

"Yeah I didn't exactly envision this friendship but Nikki is great. You just have to get to know her. Though she is not my favorite person right now."

"What happened?"

"I have been roped into a training session with Eva."

"Eva who?" Colby laughed.

"All red everything," Avery dramatically flipped her hair.

"No way," he shook his head. "_You_ are gonna train Eva Marie?"

"One session," she rolled her eyes.

"I don't know if that's a good idea," he shook his head. "What if she drops you on your head? What if you get mad and drop her on her head?"

"Believe me, it is not my idea of a fun way to spend some free time but I promised Nikki I would do it," she sighed. "I can't back out no matter how much I want to."

"Look at you, loyal to your new friends," he laughed, putting his arm over her shoulders again. "One of these days you're just gonna trade up and start hanging out with the Cena's and the Orton's of the world."

She smirked, shaking her head, "That would never happen."

* * *

Jon crossed his arms over his chest, tapping his foot. Randy was in a chair a few feet away looking just as annoyed. Carano had requested their presence in one of the conference rooms.

"I'm sure the two of you are well aware of why I wanted to talk," the suited exec explained, leaning against a table in front of them.

Jon nodded while Randy remained stoic.

"Now I'm not exactly sure what has caused the tension between the two of you but whatever it is, you need to forget about it when you show up to work."

"With all due respect, Mark, I don't really need to be here for this conversation."

Jon laughed, shaking his head. Of course Randy wasn't going to own up to anything.

"And why is that Randy?" Carano asked.

"Because I don't have any issue with him," Randy shrugged. "He seems to have one with me."

"Oh yeah, and it has nothing to do with you," Jon rolled his eyes.

"I don't care who hates who. It doesn't matter," Mark put his hands up.

Jon bit the inside of his cheek to keep from saying anything else. He was angry but he wasn't stupid. If they just sat there and listened, this would blow over. Arguing would be what got them into real trouble.

"You two are supposed to represent our best. You're looked to as leaders and you have to think about setting an example. And you also need to understand that you aren't untouchable. You cannot let your personal issues bleed through on camera like you did on Monday. It won't be tolerated. Do you understand?"

"Understood," Jon nodded. "We'll keep things professional."

"Randy?"

"We won't be a problem," Randy shrugged.

"Glad to hear it," Carano smiled. "I'm sure you two won't mind shaking hands then."

"Is that really necessary?" Jon frowned.

"For my piece of mind," Mark smiled.

Jon struggled not to roll his eyes as he stood up. He turned to Randy, holding out his hand. They had to humor the higher ups, no matter how annoying it was.

Randy looked incredibly put out and stood slowly. He gripped Jon's hand so tightly he thought his knuckles would crack.

"That's the spirit," Mark patted Jon on the shoulder before heading toward the door. "Have a good show tonight."

Once he was gone, Jon yanked his hand away from Randy's, turning to leave.

"You know you should learn to show a little respect," Randy said.

Jon knew he should just keep walking but he just couldn't do it. He turned around, "What?"

"You could stand to learn a lot from a guy like me," Randy explained. "Especially if you wanna follow in my footsteps."

"Follow in your footsteps?" Jon scoffed.

"I don't think I stuttered," Randy shrugged.

Jon had reached his threshold for Randy's smugness. He could handle it when one of his bosses was around but without Carano there, filter was gone.

"You're right, you didn't stutter," Jon said. "But considering the fact that you're the one fucking _my_ ex-girlfriend, I'd say _you're_ following in _my_ footsteps."

Randy looked surprised that Jon mentioned Avery but he recovered pretty quickly, smirking, "I bet Avery would agree that you could stand to learn a lot."

"If you think that screwing Avery is gonna get to me, you're mistaken," Jon glared. "I don't care."

Randy put his hands in his pockets, staking a step closer, "What happens between me and her has nothing to do with you. I'm just glad I got to her before someone else snatched her up. I didn't even think about it bothering you. But knowing that it does, because if it _didn't_ you wouldn't have brought it up, makes it that much better."

Jon clenched his fist. The door was open and there were plenty of people nearby. As much as he wanted to react, he knew he couldn't. In his head he was punching Randy right between his beady eyes but he simply stood there as Randy patted him on the shoulder and walked out.

* * *

Avery felt a smile stretch across her face when she rounded the corner and saw Randy waiting for her. She texted him when she got to the venue and he'd immediately responded, telling her to meet him. She bit her lip, taking in the sight of his muscular, tattooed arms. He was looking down at his phone and didn't notice her right away. He'd picked a nice secluded area. Since they had the house show crew, these rooms weren't in use.

"Hey," she smiled, drawing his attention.

He smiled when he saw her, quickly crossing the space between them, taking her hand, "Took you long enough."

She got stuck in the locker room for quite some time talking to CJ and Trinity, then Danielle Moinet arrived and they got to talking about their match for the night. She liked Danielle a lot but once you got the girl started, her mouth never closed. She spent a solid 5 minutes trying to make her way toward the door before the blonde finally let her go.

"It's hard to get away from a group of women without telling them where you're going," she laughed. "I may have been followed."

"I'm not worried about that," he smirked, opening a door and ushering her inside. She'd been looking forward to seeing him all week. Nikki was definitely right; breaking her drought had significantly improved her mood.

Avery heard the door close and lock and before she knew what was happening, Randy had her pressed against the wall. Their hands were all over each other and Avery pulled up the bottom of his shirt, wanting as little fabric between them as possible. He groaned when her hands touched his skin, lifting her up with one arm. She gasped against his lips, wrapping her legs around him.

He sat her down on the table, pulling off her shirt and allowing her to take his. His eyes met hers as he unbuckled his belt. There was something about the way he was looking at her, no question about what they were there to do. She was beyond turned on. She unzipped her own jeans but they were so tight she had to jump down from the table to take them off. She pushed them about halfway down her legs before Randy stopped her, turning her around and bending her over.

Soon, they were a sweaty, breathless mess. Avery's jeans were still around her ankles and she had no idea where either of their shirts were but she didn't care. She was beginning to think that she could actually become addicted to sex with Randy. He was _that_ good. He was the best she'd had since…she shook off that thought as quickly as it popped into her head.

Randy found their shirts first and held hers out to her. She finished pulling up her pants and moved to grab it but he moved it out of her reach, wrapping his arm around her and pulling her into another kiss.

"The girls are gonna send out a search party if I don't get back soon," she reluctantly pulled away.

"They may not be alone," Randy smirked, relinquishing her shirt. "I had a talk with one of your friends today."

"What friend?" she raised an eyebrow. "Paige promised me she was gonna back off."

"Not Paige," Randy corrected. "Jon."

"That must've been a fun conversation," she smirked.

"Oh it was," Randy confirmed. "He knows about us."

"What?" Avery stared, confused. "_How_? Did you tell him?"

"No, I didn't tell him. And I didn't ask how he knew," Randy offered a nonchalant shrug. "He seems to think that I'm having sex with you to get to him. Like I'm trying to send him some kind of message or something."

"Of course he thinks it's about him," she rolled her eyes, feeling her cheeks getting hot. "Asshole. What did you say to him?"

"I told him he was wrong," Randy answered, looking like he found the whole thing very entertaining.

"And what did he say?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"It wasn't a very long conversation Avery," Randy chuckled. "He basically called you sloppy seconds and told me he doesn't care what we're doing."

Avery hoped her expression didn't show it but she was actually somewhat stricken. She knew he didn't speak about her in glowing terms but no one wanted to be called sloppy seconds, especially not by someone who claimed to want to be their friend.

"He is so fucking self-centered," she shook her head. "I'm so sorry he said anything to you."

"Avery, don't be upset," Randy lightly rubbed her arm. "I shouldn't have told you he said anything."

"I'm not upset," she insisted. "I'm a little pissed off but it's definitely not your fault."

"You and I both know this has nothing to do with him," Randy spoke in a calm, even tone. "Who cares what he thinks? Don't let it bother you."

"Easier said than done," she crossed her arms.

"The kid has an issue with me," Randy shrugged. "He's got himself convinced that I'm jealous of him."

Avery shook her head, tapping her foot. Leave it to Jon to try and make it about him when she was trying to move forward.

"Take a deep breath. I can try to relax you again," he offered, snaking his arm around her, his fingers dipping under the top of her jeans.

She giggled, twisting away from him, "Control yourself."

"Believe me, I'm exercising plenty of self-control right now," he smirked.

"Come on, let's get out of here," she sighed, unlocking the door. She was tagging with Nikki and Brie against Paige, Nattie, and Alicia and they needed to get a few things ironed out. She also needed a shower.

"After you."

She walked out in front of him and he smacked her hard on the ass, "That's the only thing he ever had that could make me jealous."

* * *

"You've gotta be kidding me."

Jon shrugged, pulling on one of his Ambrose Asylum t-shirts, "It's the truth."

He'd just announced Avery's relationship or whatever the hell it was with Randy to Joe and Windham. Windham didn't seem all that surprised but Joe was downright pissed off. Joe was the only person Jon knew that might dislike Randy even more than he did.

Colby walked in and Joe's attention turned to him, "Did you know about this?"

"Know about what?" Colby laughed. "You do know I just came into the room, right?"

"Avery and Randy," Joe explained.

"You told them too?" Colby shot Jon an annoyed look.

"So you knew?" Joe asked.

"He only knows because I told him this morning," Jon clarified.

"Because you think it's a good idea to go around telling everyone," Colby rolled his eyes.

"To be clear, I don't think that this is any of our business," Windham said. "But how do you know about this? You're the last person Avery would tell a secret."

"Yeah Good, tell them how you know," Colby smirked.

"Randy confirmed it," Jon gave Colby a smug look.

"You confronted Randy about it?" Colby asked. "What the hell?"

Jon rolled his eyes. It annoyed him that Colby was so up in arms. It's not like Jon was doing anything to _him_.

"It wasn't my fault," Jon shrugged. "Randy got in my face and I reacted. I didn't plan to say anything about it."

"Aren't you supposed to be trying to be friends with Avery?" Windham asked. "I doubt this is gonna get you brownie points."

"I didn't do anything that bad," Jon shrugged. He should've known Win would come down on him just like Colby did.

"It doesn't matter what you did," Joe patted him on the shoulder. "If Avery wants to slum it with that guy, she can't be mad at you for putting her on blast. She should make better choices."

"Thank you," Jon smiled at him. "It's good to know someone's on my side."

* * *

Nikki winced, rubbing her temple as Avery grabbed another section of hair. Girls' night was in full swing. Brie and Paige were sitting on the floor on either side of a half empty pizza box. Despite her cold, Paige had finished off half of a six pack some local craft beer Avery insisted on trying. Avery was braiding Nikki's hair; a little roughly for Nicole's taste but Avery knew how to do a fishtail braid and Nikki didn't have the patience to learn.

Avery snatched another piece of hair and Nikki jumped.

"I'm sorry doll," Avery patted her shoulder. "Just trying to make sure it stays in."

"If you say so," Nikki was unconvinced.

Paige raised an eyebrow, looking up at Nicole. Avery had been quiet for most of the night. Something was clearly bothering her but whatever it was, she was trying to hide it. Nikki was glad someone else seemed to notice.

"Cupcake, is there something you want to share with the class?" Paige asked, picking up more pizza.

"No ma'am," Avery answered a little too quickly. She at least eased up on Nikki's poor scalp.

"Well that's a lie," Paige scoffed. "Your eyebrow has been twitching all night."

"She's right," Nikki agreed as Avery finished her braid. She turned so that she could see her friend, "What's going on boo?"

"Nothing is going on," Avery climbed off of the bed, picking up a beer.

Her eyebrow twitched again and Nikki pointed at her, "Liar."

"I don't wanna talk about it," Avery said, popping open her bottle. "How about that?"

"Uh-uh, you don't have that luxury," Brie wagged a finger. "No one gets to keep a secret on Girls Night. It's in the rules."

Avery rolled her eyes but she took a seat on the floor near the pizza, "Okay fine, since I know you clucking hens won't leave me alone...Jon found out about me and Randy."

"That's awkward," Brie winced.

"Not only did he find out, he accused Randy of sleeping with me to get to him and called me sloppy seconds," Avery sneered.

"He called you _what_?" Nikki snapped.

Paige looked just as angry. "What the hell is wrong with him?"

"How did he even find out?" Brie asked.

"Who cares how he found out? He called you _sloppy seconds_?" Nikki stared. "Oh no. No. That is not okay."

"I appreciate your indignation Nicole," Avery laughed. "And I don't know how he found out. You guys are the only ones who know."

"Well it wasn't me," Paige put her hands up. "That's _your_ dirty little secret not mine."

"I know none of you said anything," Avery insisted.

"Give me your phone," Nikki beckoned.

Avery frowned in confusion, "Why?"

"Because someone needs to tell that asshole-"

"No," Avery shook her head. "No one needs to tell that asshole anything. I will deal with him when I'm ready."

"We're not sixteen anymore Nicole," Brie laughed. "She used to call my boyfriends if they upset me and threaten to rip their balls off."

"That is not surprising," Avery smirked.

"You know what? Brie is right, we're not sixteen," Nikki said. "We are a group of grown, successful women. When we have a problem, we can go out and solve it with alcohol like adults."

Paige laughed and Avery shook her head, "What happened to girls night?"

"It's still happening," Nikki shrugged. "We're just taking a field trip."

"That's not necessary," Avery insisted. "We can stay in."

"I don't know, I _could_ use something to clear up all of this congestion," Paige lightly patted her chest.

"And I could use some wine," Brie said. "But just because I want some wine."

"Then it's decided," Nikki smiled. "We're going out."

* * *

"What's your name?" Colby smiled, leaning close to the pretty blonde. They'd been talking for a few minutes but he didn't think to ask at first. He was supposed to be meeting Win, Jon, and Joe to watch some college football game but they were all late, of course. Fortunately, while he waited at the bar, this blonde walked over. She was also meeting friends that were running behind.

"Janine," she beamed. "What's yours? I've just been calling you 'Hot Guy' in my head but that's probably not it."

"I don't mind that," he laughed. "But it's Colby."

"That's better than the one I came up with," she giggled, taking a sip of her bright pink cocktail. "So what do you do? Are you like a personal trainer or something?"

"Something like that," he nodded. If she didn't recognize him, he wasn't going to get into it. He didn't want to talk about work. He was more interested in talking about her. "What about you?"

She started telling him about her career as a massage therapist at a local spa. One of the bartenders came by, dropping off another beer for Colby. He felt his phone buzz in his pocket but he was pretty sure it was just one of his friends texting him to say they were almost there.

Janine was telling him about a client she had that day when a loud, familiar voice caught his attention. He looked toward the door in time to see Avery, Paige, and the Bellas walking through the front door. The hostess greeted them and led them toward a table on the other side of the restaurant. He realized that he'd drifted too far from his conversation with Janine when she cleared her throat loudly.

"I'm sorry," he put his hand over hers. "It's just been a long day. I spaced out a little. What were you saying?"

She continued with her story about some weird guy that only wanted her to touch his calves and the tops of his feet. He tried to focus on her words but with Avery there and Jon on the way, Colby grew distracted by the impending doom. Soon after, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Janine's eyes widened a fraction. Colby turned on his stool to find Avery standing behind him. She was smiling but he knew she wasn't happy.

"Can I talk to you for a minute?"

Colby looked at Janine and then back at Avery, "I would but I'm kind of in the middle of something."

"Hi, I'm Avery. I work with Colby," Avery reached around him, shaking Janine's hand, her voice dripping with sweetness. "Do you mind if I borrow him? I will bring him right back, I swear."

"Sure, I'm not going anywhere," Janine looked a bit hesitant but she shrugged, taking a sip of her drink.

Colby sighed, standing up as Avery walked toward the bathrooms where it was relatively quiet.

"What's going on?" he asked, leaning against the wall next to a poster advertising a local band showcase.

Avery sighed, looking unsure of where to start. She crossed her arms, "I'm assuming you heard about me and Randy."

"How'd you guess?" he smirked.

"Look, I didn't say anything because it's not serious," she said. "I didn't see any reason to kick up drama over nothing."

"Avery, you don't have to explain anything to me. I don't really get it but..what you do is your business," he shrugged.

"Funny that you should say that," she put her hands on her hips. "I wanna know how Jon found out."

"Don't put me in the middle of this, Av," he put his hands up. "That's between you and him."

"So you _do_ know," she crossed her arms. "Which means that _Jon_ already put you in the middle. Not me."

She had a point there but Colby still didn't want to answer, "Does it really matter how he found out?"

"It matters to me," she answered. "He brought it up at work. I didn't even want anyone to know and now I'm sure everyone will. I'd at least like to know how it got out."

She looked up at him, her eyes wide and hopeful. It was hard to tell her no but he stood firm, shaking his head, "I'm staying out of it."

"Okay," she nodded, looking surprised. Her expression changed as she crossed her arms over her chest, narrowing her eyes, "I tried to be nice but you've given me no other choice."

He smirked, "Oh really?"

"If you don't tell me, I'll be forced to go back over to your little blonde friend, the one you're clearly trying to bone, and tell her that I'm your girlfriend. Your crazy girlfriend. I will make a scene so bad that no woman in the state will come near you. Is that how you wanna spend your night?"

Colby considered calling her bluff but he knew she wasn't kidding. She'd never been afraid to make an ass of herself. He sighed, knowing she was going to find out eventually.

"You're evil," he pointed at her. "But fine, I give. Jon went through your phone the night we drove up from Baltimore."

"Excuse me?" she stared.

"You left it on the charger when we all went in the hotel," Colby explained.

"And he told me he found it that morning," she nodded, the memory coming back to her. She shook her head, "Motherfucker."

"I should have given you a heads up," he ran a hand through his hair. "I just wanted to stay out of it. I'm sorry."

"That would have been nice," she nodded. "But I don't blame you. It's not your fault your friend's an asshole."

"I told him to leave it alone," he shrugged.

"Well that obviously didn't work," she rolled her eyes. Colby shifted uncomfortably and her expression softened when she looked at him again. "Thank you for trying," she reached out, rubbing his arm. "And for telling me the truth, even if I had to threaten you."

* * *

"Did Colby get a table yet?" Joe asked as Jon turned off the car.

"He said he's at the bar," Windham answered as the three of them headed toward the door.

"20 bucks says he found a girl to flirt with," Jon laughed.

"Not taking that bet," Joe laughed. When they walked through the doors, Jon quickly located Colby, sitting at the bar, chatting up a very pretty blonde.

"Well, we lost him for the night," Joe laughed as Windham talked to the hostess.

Jon nodded, "And it was his turn to pick up the bill."

Windham returned to them with his hands in his pockets, "It's a little bit of a wait. You all think we should just head somewhere else?"

"How long?" Jon asked.

Windham scratched his chin and his eyes shifted off to the side for a moment, "I don't know. A while."

"They're clearing off a table right now," Joe pointed out. "We're good."

Win looked away again and this time Jon followed his gaze until they landed on a face he knew all too well.

Avery was staring straight at him. And she was definitely pissed. When their eyes met she got up from her table, quickly closing the distance between them. Jon didn't bother trying to get away. Might as well face the music.

Her gaze was locked on him the whole way. She stopped right in front of him, not even a foot away, arms crossed and eyes blazing.

"I gotta go to the bathroom," Joe said, quickly getting out of dodge.

Windham looked back and forth between the silent pair and then patted Jon on the shoulder, "I'm gonna let you handle this one alone."

"Would you like to talk outside Avery?" Jon asked as Windham scuttled away. He crouched slightly so that they were eye to eye, "Or do you just wanna have a staring contest?"

She grabbed his wrist, her lithe fingers gripping like a vice as she dragged him out the front door and back into the chilly night air. She led him past a couple of people that were outside smoking. They made it around the corner of the building when she finally stopped, turning to face him.

"_What_ is wrong with you?" she finally spoke.

"You and I both know there are lots of answers to that question," he smirked.

"Do not do that," she pointed at him.

"Okay, okay, fine," he put his hands up. "I assume you're mad because of what I said to-"

"How did you find out?"

He was surprised at the question but he shrugged, "I saw you together."

"Really?" a bitter smile stretched across her face. "Because a little birdy told me that you found out after you _stole my phone_."

"Well someone needs to teach that little birdy a lesson about loyalty to his brothers," Jon rolled his eyes. He wasn't all that surprised that Colby spilled. He was never great at keeping secrets, hence his previous embarrassing naked photo issues.

"Why did you take my phone?" she asked. She was more upset than he expected about the phone thing. He figured she would be pissed at him for confronting Randy but he wasn't prepared for her to be so focused on _how_ he found out.

"I really did see you together," he explained. "But I wasn't sure if I read things right so I looked through your phone to find out."

"Because you couldn't just ask me? What happened to being '_friends'_?" she asked. "Oh that's right, you told me you wanted to be friends _after_ you went behind my back, so you obviously never really meant it."

There she went, acting all pious, like she'd never made a wrong move in her life. It drove him crazy. She was always like this when she was angry.

"You wouldn't have told me if I asked and you know it," he pointed.

"How the hell do you know? You didn't try," she argued.

"Did you tell me about Claudio?" he spat. "I _asked_ you about that."

"_Oh_ my God," her head fell back. "_Why_ do you always need to bring him up?"

"You wanted to know why I didn't think you would tell me," he reminded her. "_That's_ why."

"I never should have believed that you actually wanted things to be better with us," she shook her head, looking away. She bit her bottom lip. He could feel the frustration coming off of her in waves.

"Okay, I know I didn't go about it in the best way but I _was_ trying to be a friend to you."

"_What_?" she laughed. "Do you even hear yourself speak?"

"I was trying to protect you," he argued. "I just wanted to know if I was right first."

"Protect me from what?" she stared. "Why do you even care? Are you jealous? Is that it?"

"No I'm not jealous," he scoffed at the idea. "Jesus, Avery, you act like I never cared about you."

"Obviously you didn't care enough," she shrugged.

"That's bullshit," he felt the anger welling up inside his chest. He could handle her throwing insults and barbs at him but he was tired of her implying that he never cared. He did. Obviously more than she knew.

"Why?" she laughed. "You cheated on me. Now all of a sudden you care?"

"I always cared about you," he answered. "I just don't wanna see you get into a bad situation."

She crossed her arms again, looking up at him, "Well you don't need to worry about what kind of situations I get into. It's none of your business. And the fact that you would rather steal my phone and snoop through it than just _ask_ me a question..just proves that we are obviously not ready to be friends. We don't need to be anything."

Jon opened his mouth to respond but she walked past him, her shoulder brushing against his.

He wanted to argue with her, tell her that he meant what he said before. He did want peace between them. But he probably ruined any chance of that.


	12. Never Going Back Again

_Monday…_

"Why are you making me drink this?" Paige frowned deeply as she sipped from her thermos.

"I'm not making you do anything," Avery reminded her. "You asked me to get you tea that would help with your cold. That's what you got."

"It takes like boiled grass and dirt," Paige cringed after taking another drink.

"You asked for it to make you feel better, not to taste good," Avery shrugged. "Next time, be more specific."

"At least I got out of filming this morning," Paige sighed. "Never thought I'd be happy to be called in early."

A memo went out the night before informing all talent that they were to arrive at the arena two hours earlier than normal. Immediately after the email, Avery got a text from Win that they were all getting fired. She told him that it would only be former Nexus members so she would be safe.

"What do you think it's about?" Avery asked.

"Survivor Series I'm sure," Paige sniffled. "Maybe we'll finally find out which one of us is getting the belt."

"Maybe neither of us will," Avery laughed. "They seem to be enjoying making us wait. Maybe they'll torture us and stretch this out until the Rumble."

"I will kill someone if they do that to us," Paige frowned.

Avery smirked, "I'll be your alibi."

"Ladies, are we excited?" TJ cheerfully walked up beside them, wearing a hoodie covered in pictures of cats.

"How could we not be?" Paige laughed. "Who doesn't love to be at work early?"

"Where's Nattie?" Avery asked.

"Still in the car, on the phone with her sister," TJ answered. "I couldn't stand to listen anymore."

"You two make marriage seem really romantic, you know that?" Paige laughed.

Avery smiled when Claudio caught up to them, walking beside TJ.

"Claudio, what's your theory?" she reached out to loop her arm through his as she so often did. He sped up, stepping out of her reach, pulling his headphones onto his ears.

She frowned, watching after him.

TJ gave her an apologetic look, patting her on the shoulder, "He's been in a mood all morning. Don't take it personally. Catch you guys later."

As TJ rushed off to catch up to his tag partner, Avery looked over at Paige, her expression puzzled, "What the hell was that?"

"Try not to be too upset," Paige put an arm around her. "He's bound to have hurt feelings."

Now Avery was even more confused, "What do you mean?"

"Babe, you can't be serious," Paige shook her head.

Avery gestured for her to continue.

"Randy," Paige clarified. "You know how fast news travels around here."

"Oh God," Avery rubbed her face. "You think he knows?"

Paige squeezed her shoulder, leading her into the building, "Considering how he just acted, I'm _sure_. With the way news travels around here, I bet everyone knows."

* * *

Randy winced as he walked into the production area. The already crowded space was filled with rows of chairs, most of them occupied by talent. Vince was already speaking. Randy had no real excuse for being late. He just didn't feel like waking up. When he remembered the meeting, he had already overslept and there was no chance of him being on time, even if he rushed. Fortunately it didn't seem like he was _too_ late. And he'd been on Vince's good side for a while.

Vince was in the middle of a speech about how Survivor Series would be the real start to the _Road to Wrestlemania_. Randy scanned for empty seats. It wasn't hard to spot Avery's icy white hair in the crowd. She was sitting with her usual crew; Paige, Colby, Windham, Aaron, and Joe. Jon was a few seats away from her and he seemed to notice Randy's presence before her. Both men looked at the empty stool beside Avery at the same time. Jon rolled his eyes and Randy strolled over, taking the seat beside her. He noticed several other pairs of eyes turning toward them but he didn't care. She turned and smiled at him as he draped his arm over the back of the chair. That was the only approval he needed.

"What'd I miss?" he leaned close to her, whispering in her ear.

"Nothing really, we started late," she answered, quickly turning her attention back to Vince.

Vince was talking about how privileged they all were to be included in this discussion. Avery's eyes were glued to the old man. Randy remembered what it was like heading into his first 'Mania. He was over the moon to be included in the event. Now he'd been in so many that he just expected it. It was still special but in a very different way. Nothing compared to that first time. He hoped Avery's first year would be a good one.

Once Vince was done pontificating, he turned the conversation over to Stephanie and Paul who gave everyone a rundown of the current plans for the pay per view. When she explained that the outcome of the Divas Championship match was still undecided, Avery and Paige both sagged in their chairs. He could certainly relate to how the women were feeling. He'd been in that position several times. The last time he won the belt, it wasn't decided until about an hour before the show. The main event would see Team Cena taking on Team Authority captained by Seth Rollins. Randy thought he should be the captain but everyone was all about pushing Lopez so he would have to take a backseat this time. Either way, he assumed he'd be back in the title picture by 'Mania. He and Brock had been talking about the idea of working together; they just needed to get creative on board.

"Okay everyone, that's all for now," Stephanie clapped her hands together. "Have a great show tonight."

Most of them started to get up but Avery remained in her seat beside him. Randy rubbed her shoulder lightly and she turned, looking up at him, "Must be nice to be able to just stroll in late."

"It is nice," he smirked. "You'll get there one day."

She laughed, "A girl can dream I suppose. Guess what I get to do today."

"I can think of several things," he smirked.

"Perv," she laughed, playfully slapping him on the leg. "I have to help train Eva."

Randy cringed, "Are you being punished for something?"

"Being a nice person, I think," she sighed. "I'm trying to pretend I'm looking forward to it. I figure if I fake it enough, maybe I'll start to believe it. Is it working?"

She gave him a dramatically pained smile and he laughed, "Not quite. My advice is to keep it short. Stick to the basics. You don't need to get yourself hurt doing something that isn't even your job."

"Yeah, I don't even know what she can do," Avery sighed. "This is going to be a very long day for me."

"Well, you'll have a very relaxing night," he gave her a reassuring smile. "I promise."

* * *

Paul put his hands in his pockets, waiting while Vince finished a conversation with Pat Patterson. Once they seemed to be done, Vince turned to him, smiling, "Why don't you get the kids and we'll go have a talk?"

Paul looked around for the 'kids' in question.

"Ambrose!" he called out to the younger man. There were too many Jon's in the company. Sometimes it was just easier to use their ring names. He looked up from his conversation with Windham and Paul waved him over, "Need to talk to you."

Jon started making his way toward them and Paul turned his attention to Avery.

"Avery, you too," Paul called out.

Avery was sitting with Randy Orton; he made a mental note to have a conversation with the two of them about that later. When she heard her name she looked up, confused, "Me?"

"Yes, Avery, you," he nodded. "Unless there's another one of you around here somewhere."

She looked over at Jon and then her gaze turned wary as she got up, saying something quietly to Randy before she headed in their direction.

Paul led the way to a small office around the corner with Jon close behind. Vince walked beside Avery, telling her how much he'd been enjoying her recent work.

Once they were inside, the executives sat on one side of the table. Jon and Avery took seats opposite them. Jon looked almost bored while Avery looked like she was waiting for a net to fall from the ceiling and trap her.

"I'm sure the two of you know what we're gonna talk about," Paul said.

"Not exactly," Jon shook his head. He looked over at Avery and she shrugged.

Paul couldn't tell if they were being deliberately imperceptive or not. He started to explain but Vince interrupted.

"We feel that we've got a great opportunity on our hands with the two of you," Vince announced. "We want to talk to you about our plans.

"Plans for the two of us…" Jon narrowed his eyes, gesturing between them. "Together?"

"Exactly," Vince nodded. "We want Dean Ambrose and Avery Ryan to take on The Authority. Together."

Avery rested her elbow on the arm of her chair, pressing her fingers to her temple.

"We'd like for it to be a slow build," Paul explained, looking at Jon. "We have you defend her from Rollins' advances. Not for her, in the beginning it would just be because of your feud with Rollins. Then it would develop from there."

"It would develop from there," Avery repeated his words. "So…just so that I'm clear on this…You eventually want this to be a romantic thing?"

"Absolutely," Vince nodded. "Something that feels real, that's why it won't be an immediate thing or some pre-existing relationship that we bring up out of nowhere."

"Why exactly is this happening?" Jon asked, sitting forward in his chair, elbows on his knees. Neither of them could seem to sit still in their chairs, like they were itching to get out of the room.

"The two of you have great chemistry together," Paul shrugged. "We've all seen it with the work you've done at live events."

"And I've been looking for a real power couple that I can push against The Authority," Vince added. "A couple with real chemistry that reads on camera. I've been talking about it for months. We looked at some real couples. Rusev and Lana are clearly better as heels. Brie isn't tough or gritty enough to be a believable foil for Stephanie and even if she was, Bryan's health is in question once again."

"What about Nikki and John?" Avery perked up.

"Not the direction I want to go in," Vince shook his head, "You two are it. You're perfect."

"You want a '_power couple'_?" Jon said the term with a chuckle. "And you came up with me and her?"

"You are two of the hottest things going right now," Paul said.

"You're the perfect anti corporate couple," Vince smiled.

Paul agreed completely. They'd been branded separately as the rebel and the lunatic. They wouldn't be afraid to stand up to the bosses. They were formidable opponents, young leaders, fan favorites. It made sense.

"I guess I'm just confused because from where I'm sitting, neither of us needs the other," Jon scratched his head. "Neither of us needs muscle or a mouthpiece. We're both independent."

Avery nodded in agreement, looking at Paul and Vince for a response.

"That's the beauty of it," Vince smiled. "Neither of you would hold the other back. You'll propel each other forward."

Paul could tell that Avery thought this was nonsense. Jon didn't look particularly pleased with the response either.

"I've already done a group," Jon said. "Isn't this a little redundant?"

"This is obviously different," Paul gave him a look. He would accept valid arguments against the angle but that wasn't one and Jon knew better.

"This can be _epic_," Vince said, his voice tinged with excitement. He started extolling the virtues of the two of them working together and Paul stifled a laugh. He could be ridiculous when he was this enthused about something. He almost felt bad for the Avery and Jon. They didn't seem to know it but there was no way they were getting out of this. He couldn't offer them much pity though. They were being given an opportunity many of their peers would kill for.

"So if we _had_ to do this, why couldn't we just be _friends_?" Avery asked. "I mean, I think it might be good for kids to see a strictly platonic friendship between an adult man and woman. It'll show them that not everything has to be about sex."

Vince stared at her, his smile fading, "That's an absurd idea."

Avery's eyes widened at the response and Jon actually laughed.

"Look at you," Vince said. "No one's gonna buy that you're _just friends_. And that's not what we're going for here."

"Listen, I understand that there may be some hesitation because of your previous personal relationship," Paul said kindly.

Vince cut him off again, "You need to look at this from the right angle. Sometimes the best things we do are the closest to reality."

"And sometimes Undertaker makes lighting come from the ceiling," Avery pointed out.

"I think that this will be really good for you, both of you," Paul said. "And I'm confident that you can put aside your personal feelings and work well together. You've already shown you're capable of that."

"Are we being asked here or told?" Jon asked, looking back and forth between his bosses.

"It's somewhere in between right now," Paul answered before Vince could say anything. "Why don't you both just take a couple days to think about it?"

* * *

_20 minutes later…_

"What time did we tell her to be here?" Paige breathed, leaning on the top rope.

Avery tightened her ponytail, "We've been waiting almost 15 minutes."

She and Paige were in the ring with the Bellas, all of them wondering where the hell Eva was. This day had already been bad enough

They'd passed the time by getting in some ring work but Avery didn't want Paige to over exert herself. She wasn't feeling any better and she was supposed to do a run in during Avery's match against Danielle.

"This is crazy," Paige shook her head. "If I pulled this shit when I was coming up, I would've gone the rest of the day without any training."

"I would've been stuck cleaning the gym," Avery agreed. "And watching everyone else work."

"Did she text you or anything?" Brie looked over at her sister.

"I left my phone in my bag," Nikki shrugged. She opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by the sound of Eva's feet slapping the ramp. She jogged toward them, though she didn't seem to be in any rush.

"Hey. I'm here," she smiled.

Eva was in full makeup, smiling from ear to ear.

"You guys ready?" the redhead asked placing her hands on her hips.

"Seriously?" Paige stared. "You don't have anything to say?"

Eva looked confused, climbing into the ring. Paige continued to stare and after a few seconds it seemed to dawn on her, "Oh about being late? Sorry. Are we ready to get to work?"

Avery rolled her shoulders, remembering she made a promise to Nikki. She wanted to tell Eva to kick rocks but she also wanted to keep her promise.

"Go sit, crumpet," Avery said quietly, touching Paige's arm.

Paige sat up on the top turnbuckle in one of the corners, "I'm good."

She wanted her friend to rest but she was grateful to have Paige there as another set of eyes.

"Okay," Avery clapped her hands together. "I just need to get a feel for what you can do. Let's just do some simple drills to start. Sound good?"

Eva nodded, "Yeah. Sounds great."

"Okay, let's go with…Headlock, tackle, dropdown, hip toss," Avery instructed. "Got it?"

Eva nodded and Nikki and Brie moved out of the way.

"Can I uh..Can I just watch you go through it first?" Eva asked.

"Sure," Avery said, surprised. Drills didn't get too much simpler. Still, she waved Nikki in and they went through it twice. Once Eva was ready they got started.

First time through, Eva botched. She rolled way too close to Avery's feet, nearly taking her out at the ankles.

Avery explained what she did wrong and they went again.

Yet again, Eva got it wrong, rolling too close again. Avery rubbed her forehead, once again explaining the importance of placement. She stressed the type of injuries that could result from that sort of a mistake. She pulled Nikki in again, hoping seeing it in motion again would help.

Third time through, Eva got the placement right on the dropdown.

Then she put her arm in the wrong place for the hip toss.

"Eva, you've got to pay attention," Paige spoke up. "If you're not careful in there, you'll hurt someone."

Fourth time, same thing; arm in the wrong place.

"Come on, Eva," Avery couldn't hide her frustration. "This isn't that hard. If you can't get this down, you will never have a real match."

"I have had real matches," Eva defiantly crossed her arms.

"You've been carried through matches," Avery corrected. "I'm trying to help you become an actual participant. Is that not what you want?"

"_Obviously_ that's what I want, otherwise I wouldn't be taking time out of my day to do this," Eva snipped.

"Well thank you so much for gifting me some of your precious time," Avery resisted the urge to walk out right then and there. She knew that the company was invested in Eva. Helping her out would reflect well on her. And if she was going to be forced to work with Eva at some point, she wanted to be damn sure the other woman knew what she was doing.

"Can we just try something else?" Eva asked, sounding winded.

"No, not until you can get this," Avery insisted.

It was like she wasn't listening to a word anyone else said. She smiled and nodded but in the end, she just did whatever the hell she wanted.

Avery took a deep breath, talking everything through once again. As soon as they were back at it, Eva screwed up again, this time losing her balance in the middle of the hip toss. She and Avery both went crashing down. Avery felt a sharp pain in her ribs where her bruising had _just_ healed.

"Fuck!" Avery cried out before she could stop herself.

"Alright, alright, that's enough," Paige jumped down, coming over and taking Avery's hand, helping her up.

"I'm sorry," Eva got up quickly.

"I don't care," was Paige's response. "When you are in the ring with someone, you are partners. Partners need to trust each other. _You_ cannot be trusted."

"It wasn't _that_ bad," Eva insisted. "She's fine."

"No thanks to you," Paige pointed.

"Avery," Eva rolled her eyes. "You're okay. Right?"

"Listen, Paige is being a little aggressive but she's right," Avery agreed. "You need to have these things down. The fact that you don't is honestly a little disturbing."

"Maybe I just need a more professional instructor," Eva suggested haughtily.

"Excuse me?" Avery asked. "What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Eva seemed to be trying for an innocent expression then, "I just mean someone who trains others for a living might be a little better at explaining things."

"Are you kidding me?" Paige asked. "We've gone out of our way to help you and you're being an ungrateful-"

Avery put her hand over Paige's mouth to stop her.

"I'm not being ungrateful," Eva insisted. "I appreciate you trying to help me."

"You aren't exactly acting like it," Avery said, letting go of Paige when her friend bit her finger.

"Eva, you barely even apologized for being late," Brie reminded her.

"Okay, if everyone is gonna gang up on me, I'm just gonna go," Eva put up her hands. "I don't need this."

Eva got out of the ring, stomping up the ramp.

"Eva, come on," Nikki called after her.

Avery shook her head, watching the other woman go. Once she was gone, Nikki looked over at her apologetically, "This is on me. I owe you."

"Yes Nicole," Avery nodded. "You certainly do."

* * *

Jon leaned against the wall, taping his wrists as Avery and Colby got ready for filming. He tried to imagine himself getting between them. He wasn't exactly keen on the idea of them being paired up but he was fairly certain he had no choice in the matter so he was trying to get used to the idea. Intellectually, he could understand what Vince and Hunter were saying. They had worked well together at those house shows. He wasn't exactly surprised by that. They each knew the other like the back of their hand and they played well off of each other. There had always been a spark between them. What the higher ups didn't seem to be aware of was that their 'chemistry' was worthless if the two of them couldn't be around each other for ten minutes without a fight breaking out. She practically ran out of the room when Vince and Paul were done with them. She barely even looked at Jon. He was going to have to figure out some way to make peace. He'd tried calling her and texting her after that night at the bar but she had resorted to radio silence. He felt bad for the way their conversation went. When he really thought about what she said, he understood. She'd agreed to try to be friends and then he'd turned around rather quickly and did something dishonest. He still contended that his intentions were good but a part of him understood why it was hard for her to accept that. If they could just talk without fighting, maybe they could get on the same page.

Once everyone was in place and the camera was rolling, Avery started walking down the hallway and she and Colby bumped into each other. Avery stumbled a bit and Colby put his arm around her to steady her.

"Whoa, slow down, where's the fire?" he asked, his hand lingering on her back just a few seconds too long.

"Sorry," she moved to leave but Colby reached out to stop her with that cocky Seth Rollins smirk on his face. When he touched her arm, Avery stopped, turning to face him.

"Can I help you?" she frowned, looking down at the hand on his arm.

"Actually, I think I'm the one that can help you," Colby smirked.

Avery looked confused, raising an eyebrow, "Help me with what?"

"The troubles you seem to be having lately," Colby explained. "I mean, anyone with eyes can see the tension between you and Stephanie lately. A word of advice; it's much, much better to try and get on The Authority's good side. It'll make your life a lot easier."

"And how would you suggest I do that?" Avery pulled her arm away. "I don't have any brothers to turn on to get in their good graces like you did."

It was Avery's turn to smirk and Colby laughed, "You're feisty. I like that."

"I'd rather you didn't," Avery quipped.

"You should really consider what I'm saying," Colby advised. "You're gonna want The Authority on your side."

He stepped a little closer and she laughed, crossing her arms and looking up at him, "I think I'll be fine on my own. But if I ever need advice on how to be a giant kiss ass…I promise I'll come find you. Have a nice night."

She walked past the camera and Colby watched her, his eyes trailing down.

"Perfect, got it," the director yelled. Avery hooked around the camera, coming back to Colby and giving him a high five. Jon figured this was as good a time to approach as any. Maybe she'd be less likely to run away with Colby there.

"Not bad," Jon walked over, clapping.

"It'd be better if they actually let us write this stuff," Colby laughed.

"Don't worry Col, I know that's not how you creep on a girl," Avery patted him on the shoulder.

"Thank you, I appreciate that," he laughed. "So what do you guys think? I hear we're gonna be seeing a lot of each other."

"Maybe," Avery crossed her arms uncomfortably. She was deliberately avoiding Jon's gaze.

"Probably," Jon corrected. "It's gonna be..interesting."

"That's a word for it," Colby laughed.

"Avery, do you have a minute to talk?" Jon asked.

"I don't actually," she answered quickly. "I have to shoot network promos."

"It'll be quick," he offered.

"Sorry, no time," she shrugged. "I'll see you guys later."

"Well that was fast," Colby chuckled as Avery rushed away.

"She stuck around longer than I expected," Jon sighed, running a hand over his hair.

"So the apology thing seems to be going well," Colby teased.

"Oh yeah, you know Avery," Jon said. "First she was silent, now she just runs away at the very sight of me. No thanks to you."

"Listen, I just gave her the facts," Colby put his hands up. "You're the one who _did_ it. Maybe next time think about the consequences _before_ you act."

"That's not exactly my thing," Jon shrugged. "But I'll try."

"So what now?" Colby asked. "You think she's gonna talk to you any time soon?"

Jon looked in the direction she'd gone and it dawned on him. He knew what he was going to have to do. They needed to talk sooner or later. If Avery wouldn't voluntarily talk to him, he'd have to resort to a tried and true method he'd used on her many times before. He'd have to corner her where she couldn't hide. It always worked for him in the past.

* * *

_Thursday…_

"One at a time, one at a time," Avery said loudly as she stopped at a red light. She'd picked up a call from her grandmother just as she walked out of the yoga studio and her grandparents had been talking over each other ever since. It was adorable even though it was beginning to give her a headache. She loved them both dearly. They were more responsible for raising her than her mother. Her mother, Cheryl, was only 17 when Avery was born and Dixie and Elias were not exactly in the market to raise another baby but they didn't have much choice. Cheryl wasn't the most responsible parent and they decided to take on the bulk of the responsibility. Everyone was better off for it. They were largely responsible for making her the person she was and she was grateful beyond measure.

"When are you coming to visit?" Elias asked, in his usual gruff, grumpy tone. He always sounded like he'd been eating gravel. He was a much warmer man than his tone suggested.

"I don't know," Avery admitted. "As soon as I can but it's probably gonna be a while."

"What about Thanksgiving?" Dixie asked. "You better be here for Thanksgiving little girl."

She had actually forgotten about Thanksgiving. She would probably be able to get away for a day or two but she didn't want to make any promises until she looked into it.

"I'll see what I can do Grammie," Avery said, releasing the brake as the light turned green. "Listen, I gotta go. I'm almost home and I've got a lot to do today."

"Call us tomorrow," Dixie ordered.

"I'll try," Avery laughed. "I love you."

She laughed as they bickered about something before hanging up. She would try her best to get there for Thanksgiving. She was far overdue for some of her grandmother's cooking. As she approached her house, she could see a figure sitting on her porch. She turned down the radio, squinting. She couldn't make out who it was at first but she certainly wasn't expecting anyone.

As she pulled closer to her driveway she recognized the body language. His long legs stretched out in front of him, elbows resting on the stair behind him. This wasn't the first time she'd come home to the unexpected sight of Jon Good at her door. During the second of their breakups, he showed up at she and Paige's door every chance he got. It drove her crazy. She was trying so hard to steel her resolve and tell him that it was best that they take some time apart. Then she would get home and he would be there waiting for her; sometimes with dinner, sometimes with a six pack and his stupid, adorable smile. Every time she would tell herself she wasn't going to let him in and then every time she did. She just had no defense for him. No matter how hard she tried to fight it, at the time, he made her stomach fill with butterflies.

She pulled into her driveway and parked the car, taking a deep breath. She hoped her relaxation from class could carry her through whatever was about to happen. He'd parked his rental car near the corner, more in front of her neighbor's house than hers. They made eye contact and the corner of his mouth lifted so slightly she almost didn't notice. He didn't move, he just watched her as she got out of the car. She was in no particular rush, grabbing her mat and hanging the strap over her shoulder. She pressed the button to lock the doors and pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head as she walked toward him.

She wasn't sure why but the first thing she thought to say was, "You been here long?"

"Not too long," he stood slowly, brushing dirt off of the back of his pants. "Cute house. A little birdy told me your address."

She laughed, crossing her arms and leaning against the post at the bottom of the stairs, "Oh yeah?"

He nodded, leaning on the post across from her, "I was hoping we could talk."

She lifted an eyebrow but she didn't speak yet. She wasn't sure what she should say.

"No fights, no yelling," Jon insisted. "Just talk."

"I have exactly _one_ full day to myself for the next few weeks and you want me to spend it with you?"

"Not the _whole_ day," he smirked. "I'm not that greedy."

She gave him a look and he laughed, "Come on, Avery. I flew out here just to do this."

"You did?" she furrowed her brow, genuinely surprised. She hadn't really considered what he might be doing in Florida. She would have assumed he was doing something at the performance center.

"You're not the only one enjoying their only off day for the next few weeks," he confirmed.

She looked at him for a moment, unsure of what to say or do. He certainly knew how to catch her off guard. He pushed out his bottom lip, blinking his long lashes at her and she smirked in spite of herself, rolling her eyes. He smiled then, turning and walking up the stairs toward her door. He knew he had her. She felt a strange sense of déjà vu as she walked behind him, pulling out her keys. There she was, letting him in once again, against her better judgment.

She walked inside, dropping her things on the table near the door, listening to his footsteps as he followed behind her.

"Do you want something to drink?" she asked, leading him into the kitchen.

"Whatever you're having," he rested his elbows on the island. She pulled two beers out of the refrigerator. It was a little early but she had a feeling she would need it. She popped the tops from the bottles, sliding one to him as she sat on the stool across from him. She tapped her nails on the wood in front of her, reluctantly bringing her eyes to meet his, "So…this couldn't this wait until Friday when we're actually _scheduled_ to be in the same place?"

"I figured you couldn't hide from me here," he shrugged. "Although this place is a little bigger than it looks from outside."

"It does have some pretty sweet hiding spots," she took a drink. "But I haven't been hiding from you. I just haven't wanted to talk to you."

He laughed, "So you are still mad?"

"Did I do something to give you the impression that I wasn't?"

"You let me in," he answered. "I was hoping that was a good sign."

She didn't say anything. She simply took another drink and waited for him to explain himself.

"I just want to talk. I want to figure out how we stop this from getting worse."

"Well you don't go through my phone and pry into my personal business," she narrowed her eyes. "That's pretty much a guaranteed way to make things worse."

"I understand why you're mad about that," he tapped his thumb on the table. They were both more fidgety than normal. "But I wasn't trying to upset you. I just wanted to know if you were really getting involved with Randy."

"Which is none of your business," she reminded him.

"It is if I think you're being used," he insisted.

"No, Jon, it isn't," she shook her head. "I'm not your girlfriend anymore. You can't just poke your nose around in my life."

"I thought we were trying to be friends," he reminded her. "Aren't I allowed to try and look out for you as a friend?"

"We _were_ gonna try," Avery agreed. "But were you trying when you snooped in my phone? If you wanted things to be better between us, why wouldn't you just talk to me?"

"I didn't think I could ask you," he shrugged, running a hand through her hair.

"Because you think I'm a liar," she scratched at the corner of the label on her bottle.

"I didn't say that," he shook his head.

"But you _think_ it," she accused. "I feel like I've told you a hundred times that I didn't cheat on you with Claudio but nothing I say matters. You don't trust anything I say and you bring it up every chance you get. Before we even broke up you were obsessed with it."

"Because he was always sniffing around after you," he blurted. "I know how guys like that operate, Av. I know he told you everything you wanted to hear. I know he told you that you were some saintly innocent and that I wasn't good enough for you."

"You're right," Avery admitted. "You're absolutely right. He did. But nothing he said mattered when we were together."

Avery hated that she was telling him this. She didn't want to but the words were coming out of her mouth before she could seem to stop them.

"I wish you would believe me. When we were together, I never even _considered_ cheating on you," she admitted. She looked down at her bottle, "You were all I wanted."

"Then why did I see you with him so soon after we broke up?" Jon asked.

"I don't wanna do this," Avery got up from her stool, holding her beer in both hands, tapping her thumbs against it. "Why are we talking about this?"

"Because we need to be able to be around each other without blowing up," he said. "We need to talk this shit out."

"It isn't gonna change anything," she looked out the window, up at the ceiling, anywhere she could to avoid looking at him.

"It would change things for me," he insisted. "I don't want to fight every time we see each other. I don't wanna be angry. But every time I see you with Claudio, I wanna smash everything around me. I'll tell you anything you want to know, answer any question you ask. Just answer that for me."

Avery looked up at the ceiling, blinking, "You saw me with him so fast because I was trying everything I could think of to get over you. The only reason I ever even started anything with Claudio was because I couldn't stop thinking about you. It all happened after you."

She looked at him again, feeling tears stinging the backs of her eyes as she thought of how she felt those months ago, the desperation to get the image of him and that other woman out of her head.

"Is that what you wanted to hear?" she asked him, frustrated with herself for getting emotional. "I didn't cheat on you. But you still cheated on me. And we're still in the same place we were before."

* * *

Jon felt a near overwhelming sense of guilt as he looked at Avery. She was clearly trying to blink away tears. He hated seeing her cry. And for the first time since he saw them together, he believed her. Maybe it was because they weren't screaming at each other, he wasn't sure, but he was convinced in that moment that she had been telling the truth this whole time. And that made him feel like the biggest asshole in the world. He'd been working overtime telling himself that he had every right in the world to be mad at her. That he wasn't the bad guy. He needed her to be at fault too.

"I'm sorry Avery," he leaned his elbows on the island again. It was his way of reaching out to her without actually getting closer. He knew that touching her would be unwelcome and he couldn't blame her but he felt that he owed her some form of comfort.

"For what this time?" she rolled her eyes.

"Everything," he answered. He took a deep breath, "I fucked up and I didn't want to be the one who ruined what we had. If you cheated then we were both wrong."

"But I didn't," she sniffed.

"I believe you," he ran his hand over his hair again, clenching it at the hair above his neck. "But there's still a little part of me that doesn't want to."

"Why?" she asked, obviously confused.

"Because I don't want to believe that I fucked up the best thing I ever had over something that didn't even happen."

He tried to look her in the eye but hers seemed to be glued on her backyard. Her tears were flowing freely now and he felt yet another pang of guilt for bringing all of this up.

"I'm sorry Avery," he said. "I'm sorry for what I did and I'm sorry for everything I've said to you. I'm sorry for ruining everything."

"You didn't do it by yourself," she spoke quietly. They were both quiet for a moment before she spoke again, "Don't get me wrong. You definitely fucked up and it was the last straw but…we got to that bad place together. All of the fighting and the back and forth; we weren't gonna make it much longer the way it was. I wanted to. I wanted us to work _so badly_. But I couldn't figure out how to stop what was happening."

"You scared me Av," he shook his head. "I was scared of losing you and scared of being with you all at the same time."

He'd never really acknowledged that before but it was the best way to describe how he felt. When they were together, Avery meant more to him than anyone ever had. And that freaked him out. That played a big part in why they were so on and off. He felt like he was always pulling her in with one arm and pushing her away with the other.

It felt awkward being so far from her when she was crying. He walked over, standing in front of her, blocking her view of the window. She looked away but he took her face in his hands, gently guiding her gaze to his. He needed her to really hear him. He wanted her to look him in the eye and know that he was being sincere.

"I know I hurt you," he brushed away a tear with his thumb. "And I don't blame you if you hate me. But no matter what, you are always going to mean a lot to me. I want us to get to a good place. I meant it when I said I want us to be friends, I just didn't do it right. But you know I don't give up. I'll make you be my friend."

She laughed a little, rolling her eyes, "I hate you."

"If you hated me, we wouldn't be talking right now," he dropped his hands. "Look, I know we're not gonna be good overnight but I think we can get there if you're willing to give it a shot."

She sniffed, "Were we ever actually friends?"

"Believe me, I was never interested in being your friend," he smirked. "But I care about you. And neither of us is going anywhere. The only logical thing to do is work on getting better."

"Since when are you interested in being logical?" she raised an eyebrow.

"It's a new thing I'm trying out," he shrugged.

She bit her bottom lip but he could see the corners of her mouth lifting just enough to encourage him. He pulled her into a hug, resting his chin on top of her head. He was surprised for a moment at how familiar it felt. He hadn't hugged her in months but it still felt like second nature to have his arms around her. Her hair still smelled the same. He breathed in the scent for a moment and it relaxed him. He couldn't count how many times he'd fallen asleep breathing in that smell.

"This is not what I was expecting to happen today," he laughed.

She relaxed some, resting her head against his chest, "I didn't ever expect this to happen."


	13. Try

_Friday…Bakersfield, California_

Nikki parked her rental, checking her lipstick in the mirror before getting out of the car. She was meeting Avery for manicures before they had to go to the Sap Center for the show. She smiled when she saw her friend signing in at the front desk. Avery looked adorable in cute little red skater dress and nude heels. Nicole was going to have to borrow the whole outfit sometime; one of the perks of them being the same size.

"Hey gorgeous," she smiled, hugging her quickly.

"Look at you, on time and everything," Avery laughed. "You look so cute."

"Of course I do," Nikki laughed, doing a little twirl in her Alice and Olivia maxi dress. "I'm so happy to see you. Brie has been driving me insane."

"Uh oh," Avery said, sitting down and patting the seat next to her as they waited to be called back. "What happened?"

"She's just been talking nonstop about babies and prenatal vitamins and ovulation and how she and Bryan are boinking each other's brains out trying to get her knocked up," Nikki explained. "I can't stand it anymore. She doesn't even think for one second about how it might affect me. She doesn't care about my feelings at all. It's just baby, baby, baby, blah, blah, blah."

"Well you won't get any of that from me," Avery smirked. "But…_maybe_ you should cut Brie some slack."

"Why? It's not like she ever cuts me any."

"She's excited about starting a family honey; she's not trying to hurt you," Avery put a hand over hers. "You have a right to be sensitive, everyone does. But Brie has a right to want to talk to her sister about a happy time in her life."

She sighed, knowing that Avery was right. Brie wanted nothing more than to become a mother and it wasn't her fault Nicole fell in love with a man who didn't want kids.

"Do you charge by the hour?" Nikki smirked.

Avery smiled cheerfully, "I charge double on weekends."

"Manis are on me today. How about that?"

"Well, I would say no but you do have that Cena money so…" Avery shrugged.

Nikki laughed as the receptionist came to get them and escorted them to two chairs. She gave them each a book with color options and they reluctantly declined glasses of champagne.

"So how was your day off?" Nicole asked. "What'd you do?"

Avery snickered, shaking her head, "It was uh…weird. Yesterday was weird."

"Elaborate please," Nikki instructed. "Weird like you slept in and didn't go to yoga or weird like you spent the day with a band of gypsies on unicorns."

"Weird like my ex-boyfriend showed up at my house," Avery clarified, still looking down at the book.

"_What_? _Jon_?" Nikki stared. "Why didn't you call me? Why didn't you say anything until just now?"

Avery laughed and Nikki took the book from her, "You need to start talking missy."

"Ladies, your technicians will be with you shortly," the receptionist came over with glasses of water for them. "Have you selected your colors?"

Nicole flipped to a random page in the book and pointed at a color, "We'll both take this one."

The young woman seemed a little startled by the rapid response and she excused herself quickly.

Nicole looked at her friend expectantly, crossing her arms over her chest.

"I got home from yoga and he was just sitting on my doorstep. He said he wanted to talk," Avery shrugged.

"And?"

The anticipation was killing Nikki. She couldn't believe this was the first she was hearing about Jon popping up at her house.

"And so we talked," Avery laughed. "We had a real talk for once without anyone yelling. He finally believes me about Claudio. We agreed to try to be friends. For real this time."

Nikki's eyes narrowed. She was having dueling reactions. Part of her thought it was a good thing. Jon and Avery were two people who were clearly in need of a little closure but the timing was suspect.

"Well that's good," Nikki said. "If you think he really means it."

"You say that like you don't."

"I think it's a little suspicious that you start hooking up with Randy and now all of a sudden he wants to be best buds," Nikki shrugged.

"It's not because of Randy. He's not like that," Avery shook her head. "And he doesn't want to be best buds Nicole, he just wants us to be able to work together."

Avery had filled her in on Monday about their impending angle.

"And you don't think it has anything to do with jealousy?" Nikki questioned.

"He's not _jealous_ of Randy," Avery shook her head. "He doesn't want us to get back together. He just wants to coexist. So do I."

"Well then I hope this works," Nikki said, feeling wary. She didn't know Avery very well when she and Jon were together but she knew how devastated she was when they broke up. Nicole was happy to see her moving on with someone else. She didn't want to see her friend getting drawn back into old, bad habits.

* * *

Jon winced at the rough sound of Joe's coughing as they got into the car. Joe had clearly caught the bug that was going around the locker room and he had been miserable all day. They'd just finished a radio appearance and now they were on the way to the Rabobank Arena for the house show.

"You gonna be okay over there man?" Jon looked over at him as he stopped at a red light.

"No," Joe shook his head. "I'm dying."

"You don't wanna die in a rental car," Jon shook his head. "You don't want that to be the end of your Wikipedia page."

"I don't think it's up to me anymore," Joe sighed, changing the angle of his seat so he could lay back. "It's in God's hands now."

"You know if all the girls that lose their shit over you could see what you're like when you have a cold, they would change their minds."

"No they wouldn't," Joe smirked. "They'd just want to take care of me."

"You may be right about that," Jon agreed. "Who are you supposed to be working with tonight?"

"I have no idea. I don't even know how I'm gonna get out of this car. You?"

"Orton. All weekend. _Real_ excited for that," Jon said in a dry tone.

"Protect your face," Joe advised. "Don't want him to mess up that ugly mug more than it already is."

"Fuck off," Jon laughed. "I hope they turn one of us soon so I can kick your ass around for a while."

"Yeah well that ain't gonna happen now that you and A-Town are gonna be the new Savage and Elizabeth," Joe teased.

"How weird is that?" Jon shook his head. "They wait until after we break up to decide that Avery and I have this perfect chemistry. It's like we're being punished or something."

"I thought you guys were cool now."

"We're trying to be," Jon corrected.

"And how is that working?"

"It's only been a day," Jon laughed. "What kind of progress do you think is gonna happen that fast?"

"You guys have always moved pretty fast," Joe shrugged.

"You're not wrong," Jon smirked. "But I have a feeling it's gonna take a while to get to a good place. I messed up pretty bad."

"You both did," Joe coughed.

Jon shook his head. He appreciated Joe's loyalty, he always knew he could count on his friend but he supposed he would have to explain, "Not both of us. Just me. Avery didn't cheat on me."

"Wait a minute; you believe this after _one_ conversation?" Joe asked. "You've been _sure_ for _months_."

"We talked about it. Avery admitted that she slept with him but it was after we broke up. She said she was using him to get over me. She broke it off when she started to feel guilty about it. I believe her."

"Wow," Joe's face made his disapproval clear.

"I'm not gonna lie. It still pisses me off," Jon admitted. "But I can't really blame her for how she was feeling. That's on me."

"Claudio tried to get between you guys," Joe said. "She still made a bad decision. And now she's making another one."

"I assume you're talking about Randy."

"That guy is a dirtbag," Joe shook his head. "I don't even understand why she would get involved with him."

"I can't explain it either," Jon shrugged. "But it's none of my business. Avery's a big girl."

"Well if you want to be a friend, maybe you should convince her to steer clear of him."

"Oh no, I don't need her biting my head off again," Jon scoffed. "She's gonna do whatever she wants to do. I'm not trying to get in the way."

* * *

Randy picked up his gym bag, looking around the bus to make sure he wasn't forgetting anything. The show would be starting soon and he needed to check in. He heard the door open and assumed it was the driver. He continued his scan until he heard a tapping sound behind him.

"Knock, knock."

He turned, smiling when he saw Avery.

"I just got here," she smiled back. "Thought I would come and say hi."

"I was just gonna go in but now I'm not in any rush," he dropped his bag, grabbing her hand and pulling her against him. She wrapped her arms around his neck. He pressed his hand firmly on the small of her back, drawing her body closer.

"How was your flight in?" she asked.

"Uninteresting," he shrugged, not interested in small talk at the moment. Not seeing her for a few days resulted in him having a one track mind. He kissed her, eyes drifting closed. He was beginning to wonder how he'd functioned working around her for so long without doing this. She was intoxicating. He let his hand slide further down, his fingers lifting the hem of her dress. Her hands gripped his shoulders and she pulled away slowly, breaking the kiss.

"We don't have time for that Randy," she laughed.

"I think we can make time," he smirked, trying to kiss her again.

"I'm sure you do think so," she laughed. "But it isn't gonna happen."

"Fine, fine," he sighed, reluctantly letting her go.

She laughed, picking up his bag and handing it to him. He took it and followed behind her as she exited the bus. He didn't even bother trying to hide his staring at her ass as she walked ahead of him.

"You should wear that dress more often," he smirked. "I really like it."

"Oh yeah?" she looked over her shoulder. "Maybe if you're nice, I'll let you borrow it."

As they walked, Randy noticed several people staring at the two of them; mostly production crew.

She seemed to notice too and she shook her head, "You know that's your fault right?"

"What?" Randy laughed. "How is it _my_ fault?"

"They aren't staring at _me_, they're staring at _us_," she clarified. "And no one would know about _us_ if you hadn't confirmed it to Jon. Now _everyone_ knows."

"If everyone knows, it's not because I told one person," Randy argued. "Your boyfriend's the one with the big mouth.

"You need to stop calling him that," she glared.

He put his arm around her, pulling her back against him and smacking a kiss on the side of her neck, "_Now_ if they stare, you can blame me."

"Stop it," she laughed, wriggling out of his grasp. "Seriously? Keep your hands to yourself."

Randy smirked, "I'll try my best."

* * *

Paul rubbed his forehead, looking at the match board. Joe showed up with a raging fever and now he was trying to figure out if he should shuffle things around to give him the night off. He was advertised for the show so he was hesitant to pull him completely. He might have to hide him in a tag match and put it at the beginning of the show.

He heard laughter coming his way and he turned to see Avery Matthews giggling and turning out of Randy Orton's grasp. He sighed, turning away from the match board. This was yet another issue that he needed to address. He'd heard the rumors going around about the two of them and he planned to have a talk with them. No time like the present.

They walked toward him and the board as most of the talent did when they first arrived. Avery kept a few paces between them and when she came close, Paul could see that she was blushing.

"Chief," Avery saluted Paul.

"You and Nikki are tagging against Paige and Summer," he pointed out their names. "Randy, you're working with Ambrose again."

"Easy enough," Avery shrugged.

"Can I talk to the two of you for a minute?" Paul asked.

"The two of us?" Avery pointed between her and Randy.

He nodded, giving her a look that he hoped conveyed that he wasn't buying her playing dumb. She seemed to get the message and she dropped the wide eyed look.

He led them to a quiet area. He never really enjoyed these types of conversations but they needed to be had.

"So…" Paul rubbed his hands together. "I'll make this quick. I've been hearing a lot this week about the two of you being an item."

Avery looked surprised and unsure of what to say. Randy was quicker to respond.

"I wouldn't say we're 'an item'," Randy used finger quotes. "It's definitely not something we need to have an HR meeting about."

"You know all about those don't you Randy?" Paul smirked.

Randy laughed but didn't respond. There weren't too many things he could say. He went through a few years where he was basically the company's number one HR nightmare. He'd gotten a little more mature and finally began heeding the multiple warnings he was given but Paul often wondered how long Randy would actually behave himself.

Avery looked extremely uncomfortable. She crossed her arms over her chest as though she was shielding herself from the conversation.

"We're just friends," Randy shrugged.

"Right," Avery nodded.

"Right," Paul deadpanned. "Listen, you're adults, you can do whatever you want. Just be mature. We have enough drama going on around here, we don't need any more. Understood?"

"Yeah, got it," Randy spoke with an amused smile.

"Understood," Avery nodded.

"Is there anything else?" Randy asked.

"Randy, you can go," Paul answered. "Avery, I need to talk to you about something else."

Randy made his exit and Avery sighed, "Yes boss?"

"I wanna talk to you about Eva," he explained. He had a few more thoughts about her and Randy but it wasn't really his place to say anything. "She had a lot to say about your training session on Monday."

"Oh did she?" Avery raised a brow. "And what did she have to say?"

"She..had some complaints," Paul sighed. "She basically said you and Paige bullied her. She said the things you said to her weren't beneficial or productive."

"Are you kidding me?" Avery stared. "We _bullied_ her? You cannot believe that. You know me."

"I know, I know," he put up a hand, hoping to put out the fire before it started. He knew that Avery enjoyed working with the other girls to make the division better. He also knew that Eva seemed to forget sometimes that the Total Divas cameras weren't always on. Still, despite Paul's reservations about her, Vince _loved_ Eva and was convinced she was a moneymaker so she wasn't going anywhere.

"I know enough about Eva to know that her version of events isn't one hundred percent true," he assured her.

"Good."

"_But_ I know you well enough to know that you probably lost your patience," he continued.

She rolled her eyes, mumbling, "I mean, I don't know, I might have."

He gave her a look.

"Of course I lost my patience," Avery insisted. "Eva was late. She wasn't listening. She wasn't committed at all."

"Avery, I told you before that I want you to be a representative for the division and a role model to the rest of the girls," he reminded her.

"I remember," she crossed her arms again.

"You're young but you're a veteran in this business compared to some of the others. Some of them look to you as an example. This tension with the rest of the girls and Eva isn't going to go away without someone stepping up and extending an olive branch."

"Someone?" she narrowed her eyes suspiciously.

"I think it would speak volumes if you would help her out," he explained. "If she can gain your respect, she can prove herself to everyone."

"You want me to help the person who came to you and complained when I tried to help her before?" Avery glared. "Seriously?"

"That's pretty much what I'm saying, yeah," he nodded.

"What exactly did I do to deserve this?"

"You're the best," he shrugged. "This is part of being the best."

* * *

"My friend David owns the bar so we're covered for whatever we want all night. He offered to close the place down but I told him it wouldn't be necessary. It's out of the way, I don't think we'll run into a ton of fans there," Paige explained.

"Sounds like it's gonna be a long night," Colby laughed, sitting down next to Windham with a plate full of food and a bottle of water.

"A very long night," Windham agreed.

"Shots, shots, shots," Paige laughed, slapping her hand on the table.

"Paige, don't make me carry you back to the hotel tonight," Windham warned.

"If you don't someone else will," Paige shrugged.

Windham shook his head, laughing at his younger friend. Before he could warn her about letting strangers take her home, Avery walked into the catering area looking miserable. She plopped down into the seat next to Paige and let her head fall onto the table.

Paige simply started stroking Avery's hair and continued talking, telling everyone how to get to the bar. Windham wasn't surprised. Avery had a flair for the dramatic from time to time. Sometimes it was best not to engage. She would tell them what was wrong soon enough.

The conversation shifted to Joe's cold and whether or not anyone would volunteer to stay back at the hotel with him. No one was particularly willing.

Win felt the chair beside him slide out and he nodded at Jon as he sat down with his food.

"What's wrong with her?" he asked, poking the top of Avery's head.

"I have to train Eva again," her voice was muffled by the table.

"What did you say?" Paige stared.

Avery lifted her head, "Paul wants me to work with Eva. After she complained about us."

"What'd she say?" Jon asked.

"What'd you guys do?" Colby spoke at the same time.

"We didn't do anything," Paige answered. "She looked terrible. She nearly hurt Avery so we stopped it. And she showed up late."

Avery nodded in agreement, "And then she told Paul that we bullied her."

"We _bullied_ her?" Paige's neck was starting to get red. "I'll show her what bullying is."

"Believe me, I would love to but we can't," Avery sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "Paul wants me to try to help her get accepted by the rest of the girls."

"Wow," Colby winced. "He's given you an impossible task. It's like he thinks you're a Jedi."

"He also thinks you're nice enough keep from punching her in the mouth," Jon smirked.

"Neither of those things is true," Avery rubbed her forehead.

"She lied about us and now you have to help her? That's crazy," Paige shook her head.

"It is but I'm stuck," Avery sighed.

"It won't be that bad Avery," Windham comforted her, patting her hand. "Buck up."

"She can't even pull off a hip toss," she met his eyes.

"Okay..maybe it will be that bad," he winced. "At least you get free drinks tonight."

"That is a silver lining," she smiled. She looked down at the table and picked up Colby's phone, "Shit. I gotta go. I have a fitting."

"I should go too," Paige grabbed Colby's water bottle, downing the rest of it. "See you boys later."

The girls left arm in arm and Colby went to get a new water bottle.

"So what's going on tonight?" Jon asked.

"Paige knows a guy who owns a local bar. We're gonna go there after the show," Win explained. "I hadn't had a chance to tell you about it yet. Obviously Avery's gonna be there so…"

"So…what?" Jon gestured for him to continue.

"Come on man, you know what I'm thinking."

"I know but we're working on things," Jon explained.

"Yeah, I heard the two of you had a long talk," Windham nodded. "And that's great and all but I'm feeling a little déjà vu here. The two of you agreed to try and be friends a few weeks ago and that didn't work out so well."

"I'll admit, when I said it before it was more about me trying to get information out of her. I wanted to know what was going on with her and Randy," Jon said. "But I meant it this time. We both did. "

"Well that's very good to hear," Win said. "But you shouldn't expect too much from her too fast. You all have been through a lot with each other. There's a lot of muck to get through."

"I know," Jon nodded. "And I don't have any expectations. We're just gonna take it one day at a time."

* * *

Avery kept her eyes closed as one of the makeup artists applied her eyeshadow. She was trying to take some deep breaths and clear her head. She didn't want to be too tense during her match. She breathed in deeply and a sugary sweet perfume filled her nose. She quickly recognized it as Summer's. She opened one eye as much as she could and waved as the blonde sat in the chair beside hers.

"Hey girly," Summer spoke cheerfully. "You ready for this match tonight?"

"Always ready," Avery answered. "You?"

"I'm ready," Summer said. "My back has been hurting lately so Paige is gonna take most of the bumps."

"That's how she likes it anyway," Avery smirked.

"You know, I was looking for you earlier, I wanted to talk to you."

Avery opened her eyes after her lashes were applied. She heard something in Summer's tone. The blonde didn't just want to chat. She sounded like a person with a juicy bit of gossip. That wasn't always a bad thing. Summer could be great fun to sit and have a girlchat with but Avery had a feeling she knew exactly what particular morsel Summer wanted to talk about.

"What's up?"

Summer looked excited, "Is it true that you and Randy Orton are a thing?"

Avery opened her mouth to speak but before she could, her phone started ringing. Saved by the bell. She looked down at the phone's display, smiling at the name on the screen: Rami. She had known Rami Sebei for years, his phone call was always welcome but this was especially good timing.

"Hello there," she answered.

"Hey Avery." He said cheerfully. "You busy?"

"Not really, what's going on?"

"I was hoping you could do me a massive favor."

"Massive?" Avery laughed. "I'm intrigued."

"My apartment is being fumigated and then painted and I need to be out of it for like a week," he began. "So I was wondering if maybe I could bunk at your place. I was talking to Kev about it and he said you wouldn't be home for a while."

"Did he already give you the key?" she queried. Kevin could be awfully presumptuous sometimes.

"He did, yeah," Rami laughed. "But I obviously won't use it without your permission."

She rolled her eyes, unsurprised, "Of course you have my permission."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Of course," she laughed. She'd stayed on his couch a time or two before; it was the least she could do. And Kevin was right, she wasn't going to be home. "My place is yours. Just check the mail for me."

"This is a huge help, thank you," he enthused. "I'll replace any food I use."

"That's completely unnecessary but thank you for the offer," she laughed. "Enjoy the house. If you throw any parties, hide the breakables."

"You're the coolest mom ever," Rami joked.

"I try," she said. "I gotta let you go. I'm getting ready for a show. I'll see you soon. Call me if you need anything."

"Will do," he said. "Thanks again Avery. I really appreciate it."

She said her goodbyes with Rami and then put her phone away so the final touches could be done on her makeup. Summer was still sitting beside her, having her hair curled.

Avery closed her eyes when instructed.

"So you're just not gonna answer me?" Summer asked.

"I'd rather not," Avery smiled.

"Well maybe I don't need to ask you. Randy's right over there," Summer said. "Maybe I'll just ask him."

"Don't you dare," Avery opened her eyes, fixing her gaze on her friend.

A smile spread across Summer's face as Randy walked their way, talking with Mike Mizanin. He looked over at Avery and winked as they passed. Summer was practically bouncing in her seat.

"Well that was all the confirmation I needed."

Avery rolled her eyes. Randy was truly terrible at keeping things a secret.

"I have so many questions," Summer giggled.

"Oh Jesus."

"Questions about what?" Paige walked over, leaning against the side of Summer's chair.

"Thank God, please save me from Nancy Drew," Avery smiled.

"Can you blame a girl for being curious?" Summer asked. "Paige, you can't tell me you don't want to know everything about her and Randy."

"I actually would rather not know anything at all," Paige put her hands up. She looked at Avery, "Are you wearing that for our match?"

Avery looked down at her Charlotte shirt and shrugged, "Yeah, why not?"

Paige laughed, shaking her head. She ran a hand through Summer's hair once it was finished. There was a consensus amongst all of the divas that they were all jealous of her hair.

"The two of you make an interesting team," Avery smirked. "Get together, take a picture."

Paige knelt down, draping some of Summer's hair over her head. Avery snapped the picture and sent it to both of them.

"You should come out with us tonight," Paige suggested to the blonde. "Free booze, all night."

"Sold," Summer smiled excitedly. "Then maybe we can get Avery drunk and she'll answer my questions."

"That is not going to happen," Avery shook her head. "But you're welcome to try."

Paige started to detail the game plan for the night for Danielle and Avery turned in her chair to look in the mirror.

"Hey ladies," Nikki approached, dressed and ready for their match. She came over, sitting across Avery's lap, "Don't hate me."

"Why would I hate you?" Avery frowned. "What did you do now?"

"I didn't do anything. I just feel bad because I heard you're stuck training Eva," Nikki explained. "That's kind of my fault."

"You're right," Avery nodded. "I do sort of hate you now."

"That would hurt if I believed you," Nikki said, holding up her phone. "Come on, take a picture with me."

Avery laughed. Sometimes when they were waiting for a show to start, if they didn't have somewhere to be or something to do, they all just ended up taking tons of pictures. She put her chin on Nikki's shoulder, smiling for the picture. Knowing Nikki, it would be on Instagram momentarily. Avery cast a glance Paige's way and caught the tail end of what looked like a dramatic eye roll. She made a mental note to ask her friend about it later.

"Nikki, are you coming out tonight?" Summer asked.

"Can't, we're filming tonight," Nikki explained. "Brie and I are going to dinner with Eva and Nattie after the show."

"Sounds like there'll be a lot of stimulating conversation at that table," Paige teased.

"I'm going to choose to believe you're referring to everyone else at the table and not me," Nikki smiled.

"Of course," Paige insisted. "I wouldn't say that about you."

* * *

_10PM_

Jon laughed as Aaron told him how impressed Maryse was with his Miz impression. Aaron was always under the impression that every woman he ever met found him completely and totally mesmerizing. It amused Jon to no end.

"Having fun yet boys?!"

Paige walked behind Aaron, clearly drunk, and patted him hard on the head before roughly mussing his hair. Summer stood beside her, giggling until a snort escaped her.

Jon chuckled as Aaron turned slowly and glared at Paige, "Was that really necessary?"

"It was _absolutely _necessary," Paige slurred. "Your hair just begs to be fondled."

"We were just heading to the bathroom," Summer looped her arm through Paige's. As they headed off, Summer took a turn assaulting Aaron's hair and he looked deeply offended.

"What the hell?" Aaron stifled his own laughter, smoothing out his dark hair. He shouted after them, "Damn women. Where's your wrangler?"

Jon looked around for Avery. She was usually the one to handle the other girls when they got too drunk; provided that she wasn't too drunk herself. She was sitting at the table Paige and Danielle had just left with a glass of water in one hand and her phone in the other.

"I'll be back," Jon patted the table, finishing his beer and setting the bottle down before heading toward her.

She looked up just as he was about to grab a chair, "Hey."

"Your girl is over there causing trouble," Jon laughed, dropping down into chair.

"You know how she is when she's had a lot of whiskey," Avery shrugged, resting her chin on her hand.

"I know how you both are when you've had a lot of whiskey," he smirked. He remembered having to put the child locks on in the car once because they were insistent on trying to get out at a red light and go to another bar.

"That's precisely why I'm not drinking whiskey tonight," she laughed, putting her phone down. "Only clear liquids for me."

"That's probably a good idea," he smiled. "You know, this is a special occasion for us."

"It is?" she looked confused.

"Oh yeah," he nodded. "We have gotten through one day without incident."

She laughed, shaking her head, "I guess that is pretty momentous."

"It is," he said. "I think it's cause for celebration. Come on. Let's get a shot."

"I was planning on keeping it a beer and water night," she protested.

Jon shrugged, "Plans were made to be broken."

"That's rules," she corrected.

"Rules, plans, whatever," he waved it off. "Come drink with me."

She looked wary and he stood up, offering his hand, "Come on. I'm not gonna bite you."

"Are you ever gonna learn to take no for an answer?" she asked.

"Probably not," he admitted.

She laughed and rolled her eyes, standing with him, "Alright, fine."

She didn't take his hand but he wasn't totally surprised. He didn't even know why he'd offered it. When they got to the bar there was only one stool so he pulled it out for her, standing in the space beside it. When the bartender came over, he ordered tequila for both of them and then tipped him with a 20. When he turned his attention back to Avery, she was smirking at him.

"What?"

"Nothing," she shrugged.

"Come on, what?"

She laughed, "Nothing. You're just predictable sometimes."

"That is not a word that anyone uses to describe me," he frowned.

"I do," she corrected him. "You always do the same thing at bars. Ask the bartender their name and tip them a 20 right away so you don't have to wait later."

"It's a sound strategy," he shrugged. She was right, he always did it and he didn't see a damn thing wrong with it.

"I don't disagree," she put her hands up. "I just find it amusing."

"Well I'm glad you're amused," he said as the bartender returned with their shots in hand. Avery asked for a glass of water and he quickly retrieved one for her.

"Thank you," she smiled as he placed it down in front of her.

"You're very welcome," the bartender smiled at her. He turned to Jon, "You know, you are a lucky guy."

"Oh yeah, why's that?"

"You're with the prettiest girl in the bar."

"Oh we're not-"

"Yeah she's beautiful, isn't she?" Jon cut Avery off.

She looked surprised and Jon laughed, "Thanks man."

"No problem," the bartender smiled. "Let me know when you guys are ready for another."

When he walked away Avery gave Jon an inquisitive look.

"He was gonna hit on you all night if you told him you weren't with me," he explained himself.

"That is a very good point."

"See," he tapped himself on the temple. "Always thinking."

"I wouldn't go that far," she teased.

"Alright, enough talk, these shots have been sitting here way too long," he tapped the bar.

"_One_ shot," she insisted.

"You've never done just one shot a day in your life," he laughed,

She feigned offense, "You make me sound like a lush."

"Lush sounds very negative," he said, handing her the glass. "I prefer the term spirits enthusiast."

"I like that," she giggled, holding up her glass. "What are we toasting to?"

"To day one," he raised his own glass.

"To day one," she smiled. They tapped glasses and then tossed them back quickly.

He stacked their glasses and then caught the bartender's eye, holding up 2 fingers.

"Uh uh, I said _one_," she shook her head, pushing his hand down.

"Come on, what's one more?" he asked. "We're having fun."

"_One_ more," she gave him a stern look.

On cue, their second round was dropped off. He picked them up but before she could take hers, her phone buzzed on the bar. She picked it up quickly.

"Who's that?" he asked.

"Ash," she answered quickly, typing away. For a moment, he wondered if she was telling the truth. If it was Randy, would she tell him? He shook the thought away quickly, reminding himself that he had to trust her. If they were going to be friends, he had to take her at her word. And it wasn't any of his business anyway.

She put her phone down and grabbed her shot.

"Come on Good, can't leave the shots waiting too long," she chided him.

Once they finished the shots, he ordered beers for the two of them. He figured he'd wait a few minutes before trying to convince her to do another.

"Are you trying to get me drunk?" she squinted at him.

"It takes a lot more than this to get you drunk," he reminded her. "Unless you've changed wildly in the last few months."

"Only for the better," she smiled.

She looked at her phone again and he couldn't help but say something.

"So..where's Randy tonight?" he asked.

Avery's face fell and she gave him a look,

"I'm just asking a question," he put his hands up. "You told me to talk to you. That's what I'm doing."

Her expression softened, "You're right. I'm sorry. Randy is heading to San Jose right now. I was gonna go with him but I decided to come out with you guys instead."

"How'd he take that news?"

"He was fine," she shrugged. "It's not like I had to ask permission."

"Well I am glad you came," he smiled.

"So am I," she said. "I really needed a drink. But I am not doing any more shots."

"We'll see about that," he laughed.

Before either of them could say anything else, Jon felt a heavy, hard slap on his back. He turned, ready to fight until he saw Windham, his dark glazed eyes a telltale sign he was three sheets to the wind.

"This is a beautiful sight," Windham said. "Truly beautiful."

He clapped his other meaty hand down on Avery's shoulder and she winced, "Ow, what the hell Win?"

"This is all that I have wanted," he sharply pulled in her in close to his chest. He attempted to pat Jon on the cheek but just ended up pushing his face until his hand fell.

"All this time, all I've wanted was for the two of you to come together in peace and harmony," Windham smiled.

"We've had shots," Jon laughed. "That's what's keeping this whole thing afloat."

"No, no, no. _You_..You have a special bond," Win put his hand on top of Avery's head. "You are two people who were brought together to do great things. You just have to explore the other side of it. You tried it one way. Now you'll try it the other and you will _flourish_."

"Are you cutting a promo on us right now?" Avery raised an eyebrow, her cheek smushed against Windham's chest.

"I love you both. Like family. We are all a family and we have been fractured for months," Windham continued. He let Avery go, taking one of each of their hands. "You are finally beginning to heal that fracture."

"More like put a bandaid on it," Jon joked.

"Or a splint," Avery suggested. "But like a makeshift one made out of sticks and an old t-shirt."

Win was unaffected by their mocking, waving the bartender toward them.

"Don't you think you've had enough doll?" Avery pinched his cheek.

"Not for me," Windham waved her off. "For you."

Windham sloppily requested shots for them.

"Oh no," Avery shook her head. "No more."

She tried to wave and catch the bartender before he started to pour but Jon caught her hand, laughing, "Come on, Av. Just one more. This obviously means a lot to Win."

* * *

Colby dried his hands on his jeans as he walked out of the bathroom. He headed back to his seat with Joe, who had stupidly insisted on coming out despite the fact that he couldn't breathe through his nose. He kept blowing his nose with bar napkins and it was actually beginning to gross Colby out a little but Joe was his friend and he wasn't going to abandon him. Besides, he'd lost a coin toss with Aaron so he didn't really have much choice but to stick with the Samoan. He glanced toward the bar, debating whether he should wait for their waitress or just go order a drink. All thoughts of a drink were forgotten when he saw Jon and Avery laughing together. Jon seemed to be holding her hand and Win was standing with them looking like a feather would knock him on his ass.

He decided to go back to the table rather than getting in the middle of whatever that was, pulling out his chair and plopping down, his eyes still drifting back toward his friends.

"Weird right?" Joe laughed, following his gaze. "I'd actually gotten used to the idea that one of them was going to kill the other one day."

"Yeah it's definitely weird," Colby nodded. He knew about their talk and all but he just wasn't expecting them to look so friendly so fast. It was strange to see after months of venomous anger between them.

"Maybe he can get her to dump Randy's ass," Joe said. Out of everyone, he seemed to be the most bothered by the idea of Avery getting together with Randy. He was still holding a pretty deep grudge over Randy busting him open multiple times. "I always thought they'd get back together once they calmed down."

"They're not getting back together," Colby scoffed. "That would be a terrible idea."

"Why?" Joe sniffed, picking up another cocktail napkin.

"Have you forgotten how bad they were together?" Colby laughed.

"They were a little volatile," Joe shrugged. "But they were a lot of fun to be around."

"When they were getting along," Colby rolled his eyes.

"They have passionate personalities," Joe shrugged again. "Come on, as a friend, wouldn't you rather her be with the devil we know?"

"You know that there are other guys in the world right?" Colby laughed. "Or she could maybe just be alone. It doesn't have to be Randy or Jon."

"It doesn't _have_ to be," Joe agreed. "But if those are the choices, I'm Team Good."

Colby couldn't understand why Joe would ever want them back together. He hated dealing with their bickering and breakups just as much as Colby did. Sure, when they were on they were a lot of fun. They were both the life of the party and together, they were almost magnetic. But they could ruin a night out with the best of them by getting into a stupid fight about nothing that could turn into World War 3.

"Why are we even talking about this?" Colby shook his head. It didn't matter. They'd made it through one day as friends. That was a good thing but it didn't really mean much in the grand scheme of things.

"That's a good question," Joe laughed, getting up gingerly. "Let's go do a shot."


	14. Too Many Friends

_Saturday…_

Avery walked out of the bathroom twisting her wet hair up into a bun and surveying the damage in her room. She nearly tripped over Summer's red heels. Paige was snoring in Avery's bed, one of her legs hanging over the side, foot almost on the floor. Summer was in Paige's bed in full on starfish mode wearing her dress from the night before and a pair of Avery's sweatpants.

Avery had already gotten up, gone to the gym, taken a shower, and packed everything up for herself as well as Paige. Granted, she got significantly less drunk than they did at the bar the night before. Aaron had to carry Summer out over his shoulder with his jacket draped over her ass so no one would see her business. Paige had been in slightly a better state. She walked out on her own two feet, shouting some Drake song at the top of her lungs with Joe.

They were both sleeping so soundly she felt a little guilty having to wake them but she'd let them sleep as long as she could. They had to make the drive to San Jose.

She plopped down on the bed beside Paige, patting her on the back, "Time to get up, love."

Paige stirred but she didn't wake up. Avery wasn't entirely surprised. Hung over Paige slept like the dead. She sighed, knowing that they weren't going to like it but they were probably both too far gone to be woken up nicely. She took a page out of her grandfather's book and decided to get them up the way Elias woke her during her high school years.

She stuck her fingers in her mouth and whistled loudly. Summer reacted like she'd fired a gun. She woke in an instant, looking wildly around the room.

"Time to make the donuts ladies!" she shouted.

Paige rolled over and sat up slowly, squinting, "Fuck off."

"I love you too," Avery smiled. "Get up, we gotta go soon."

"Did I sleep here?" Summer looked around, confused.

"Yes doll, you clearly slept here," Avery laughed. "No one could figure out where your room was and you were no help."

The blonde laughed, "Well..thanks for the pants, I guess."

"You're welcome," Avery smiled. "Now get up. We're meeting Fox downstairs in an hour."

"What the hell time is it?" Paige grumbled, attempting to run a hand through her tangled hair.

"Time for you to get up," Avery said. "Your bags are all packed up; you just need to get ready."

Once she got her friends up and moving around she told them she would take her bags downstairs and get breakfast for the three of them. Paige started shuffling toward the bathroom like a zombie while Summer tried to untangle herself from the sheets. It was going to be a while.

Avery went down to the rental car, putting her bags in the trunk. Once she was done, she walked back inside and went to the hotel restaurant, ordering enough food for the four of them and tea for herself. While she waited, she unlocked her phone and cleared out a bunch of notifications for Twitter and Instagram and then scrolled through some unopened texts. She had a message from Kevin thanking her for letting Rami use her house. There was another from Nikki that looked like a novel. She would read that later, assuming it had something to do with her dinner with Brie, Nattie, and Eva. As she opened up yet another text, this one from Ashley, she felt her tea lifted out of her hand. She turned angrily and found Jon's amused blue eyes looking at her over the bottom of her cup as he took a long drink. Colby stood beside him, giving Avery a nonchalant shrug like neither of them should be surprised at what was happening.

"I hate you," she glared at Jon. She was going to put the kibosh on this whole 'friends' thing if he kept stealing her tea.

"You don't mean that," he flashed a smile and she rolled her eyes.

"What are you doing down here?" Colby asked.

"Just picking up food. Ordered breakfast for the zombies upstairs in my room," she explained.

"How bad are they?" Colby laughed.

"Well, Paige's first words this morning were 'fuck off' if that's any indication," Avery smirked.

"What'd ya get to eat?" Jon asked, leaning against the counter beside her.

"Nothing for you."

"We were just gonna sit down. We're waiting for Joe and Win," Colby said. "Why don't you just eat with us? I'm sure they can just cancel the to-go order."

"I would but I can't," she smiled apologetically. "We have to meet Foxy. We've gotta get on the road and we're gonna have those stupid Total Divas cameras with us."

"I remember a time when you told me that you would _never_ do that show," Jon smirked.

"I'm not _on the show_," she corrected.

"Are you sure?" Jon asked. "Because it kinda sounds like you are."

"Yeah, I mean, you hang out with all the girls. You have to deal with the cameras all the time," Colby said. "You're gonna be training Eva."

"Please don't remind me of that," Avery could practically feel a headache coming on at the mention of the redhead. "I don't want to think about it."

"You're gonna have to," Colby said. "What are you gonna do with her?"

"I have no idea," she sighed. She looked up at him hopefully, "You wanna be the best friend in the whole wide world and help me? Maybe she'll listen to you."

"Ooh, I would but I can't," Colby winced. "I'm busy."

She laughed, crossing her arms, "I didn't say when."

"I'm busy pretty much whenever you plan on doing that," he stated plainly.

"Jerk," she glared at him. One of the hostesses brought over a bag with her food and she thanked the young woman and stuck a few bills in their tip jar.

"Aren't you gonna ask me to help?" Jon asked when she turned back to them.

"Nope," she plucked her tea out of his hand. "See you guys later."

* * *

Claudio looked down at the GPS, checking how much longer they would be on the road. They were still about 40 minutes outside of San Jose. He heard his phone start ringing and he lifted it from the cup holder, frowning when he saw a picture of himself and Avery. It was taken on a flight to Mexico City a few months earlier. Avery had taken his phone when he fell asleep and took a snapshot of herself smiling from ear to ear while he slept, open mouthed, on her shoulder. He hated the picture but she giggled every time she saw it so he kept it. Sighing deeply, he declined the call and dropped the phone back into the cup holder.

"You know you're gonna have to talk to her eventually," TJ piped up from the passenger seat.

"Talk to who?" Claudio asked, flipping on his turn signal and changing lanes.

"I saw your phone, man," TJ laughed. "I've seen it a bunch. She keeps trying to call you. When are you gonna answer?"

"I don't have anything to say to her right now," Claudio said simply.

"Look, I've been giving you space about this, even though you've been crazy moody lately," TJ said. "But I just don't get it. Why are you so upset about Avery hooking up with Randy? I mean, the thing with you guys ended a while ago, right?"

Claudio clenched his jaw, not sure if he wanted to have this conversation. TJ had tried to talk to him about it once before, the day that he gave Avery the cold shoulder in the parking lot. TJ was a good friend and his curiosity was understandable but the situation with Avery wasn't easy for him to talk about. Claudio prided himself on his intelligence and composure. He was a born perfectionist and didn't allow anything to get him too riled up. But Avery made him feel like a fool.

"I'm just angry with her," Claudio admitted. "She told me she couldn't be with me because she didn't want to hurt me. She said she wasn't over what happened with Jon and she didn't want to be unfair to me. I understood, I backed off, gave her time. I thought that when she _was_ ready to move on, it would be with me. I thought I was falling in love with her and now I find out she's off with someone else."

"Maybe you need to tell her how you feel," TJ suggested. "She probably didn't think you would care."

"She knew I would care," Claudio shook his head. Even when he tried not to let it show, it was obvious how he felt about Avery. She _knew_ him. She knew exactly how he felt. She just didn't care as much as he expected her to.

"Has she left you any messages?"

Claudio nodded, "She just wants to talk. I'm her friend and she just wants us to be okay."

"You don't believe her?"

"I believe her," Claudio answered decisively. The problem wasn't that he couldn't believe her. Avery was an honest person. If she said she wanted to make things right with them, then she did.

"Don't you think you'll feel better if you just talk to her?" TJ asked. "It's not healthy to hold on to stuff like this. She obviously wants to be friends. What's so wrong with that?"

"I just don't know how to go back to being _just_ friends."

* * *

Nikki was walking away from wardrobe with new gear for herself and Brie when she saw John and Randy talking. It was nice to see them getting along so well. She knew that John hated that they'd been on the outs. Whatever made him happy made her happy so she was pleased that they were getting their friendship back on track.

She walked over to them, looping her arm around John's, "Look at you two. Bromance is in the air."

"Isn't it always around here?" Randy laughed.

"That is very true," Nikki smiled. "But Randy, I think you and I are going to need to start making a schedule so we each get sufficient John time."

"You do know I'm right here, don't you?" John laughed, pulling her close to his side.

"I always know where you are," she smiled. "I made the reservation for Sunday night. I can't wait."

"She's been obsessed with trying this restaurant in San Francisco," John explained to Randy. "She's been talking about it for weeks. We're gonna go Sunday night."

A light bulb went off above Nikki's head, "Randy, you should come with us."

"Thanks for the offer but I'd rather not go on a date with you and John," Randy laughed.

"Obviously I mean you and Avery."

"That was not obvious to me," John chuckled.

Randy looked apprehensive, "I don't know."

"It'll be a double date," Nikki clapped her hands together. "I'll call and change the reservation."

"Shouldn't you check with Avery first?" John suggested.

"He's right," Randy said. "I really can't speak for her-"

"I can," Nikki shrugged. "She's got a signing in the area tomorrow so she's gonna be around. It's perfect."

Randy opened his mouth but John patted him on the shoulder, "It's best to just let her have what she wants. She won't stop."

"I won't," Nikki agreed.

Randy laughed, "Alright, fine. I guess I'll go but one of us is gonna have to talk to Avery about it."

"I'll talk to her," Nikki smiled. "Don't you worry."

* * *

Eva was grinding her teeth. It was a terrible habit but try as she might, when she got annoyed she couldn't stop herself. She'd just had a contentious argument with Foxy over the fact that she was asked to do a Divas photo shoot and Alicia wasn't. Of course, Alicia didn't get in anyone else's face for being chosen over her. No, everyone else deserved it. But anytime Eva got anything, someone had a complaint. She crossed her arms, leaning against a trunk. She was a strong person, she could handle a lot but her nerves were getting frayed from dealing with these other women. She reached into her purse, pulling out a compact, certain that her flushed cheeks were in need of some powder to calm them. She turned to find better light and caught sight of Sara Amato walking toward her. She quickly powdered her cheeks and pushed her hair back off of her shoulders. She'd been trying to get some time in with Sara but the trainer rarely ever gave her the time of day. She turned to try and catch her attention but she realized that Sara was walking with Avery. Eva rolled her eyes as they walked by, not even acknowledging her presence. Sara didn't come to every show because NXT was her primary focus but when she did travel with the main roster, it seemed like she spent every moment with Avery, Paige, and AJ. With AJ gone, Paige and Avery were obviously the golden children.

"Ooh, who pissed you off?"

Eva turned to see Trinity strutting toward her. Trinity hadn't always been Eva's biggest fan. They still weren't exactly close but she seemed to be the only Diva willing to admit that she may have been wrong. She had been making a real effort to get to know her.

"Fox," Eva sighed, tucking her hair behind her ears. "She's all pissed off at me about a photo shoot."

"Fox is always pissed off about something," Naomi laughed. "Don't stress about it."

"I'm just sick of it," Eva planted her hands on her hips, anger creating tension in her shoulders. "I get all this heat for special treatment. But look at Avery, look at Paige. They're the ones that get all the attention. They're always working with Sara and talking to Paul and the agents. They get more special treatment than I do."

"People just come after you because they don't know you," Trin explained. "And if they don't know you, they don't trust you."

"Nikki and Brie are the only ones that ever really tried to get to know me," Eva said. "And now you."

"Just keep your head down and work hard," Trinity draped a comforting arm over Eva's shoulders. "It'll get better."

* * *

Avery sat on the floor in the locker room, stretching her legs out wide at her sides and slowly leaning forward until her chest touched the floor. She stretched her arms out in front of her, walking her hands forward until she was in a full split. She held the stretch, letting her forehead touch the floor. Her hip had been bothering her for a few days and she was relieved that she didn't feel any sharpness when she stretched. After her ribs, she did not need another injury, not when she was so firmly in the title picture. She heard the door open and she looked up to see Paige coming in. She sat up slowly, bringing her legs back together.

"Hey Crumpet," she smiled at her friend.

"Cupcake," Paige walked past her, mussing her hair. "How's the hip?"

"Feeling fine now," she answered, standing up. "Whatever that was seems to be gone now."

"Good," the dark haired Brit looked relieved. "I can't have you getting hurt."

"Don't worry about me, I'm fine," Avery said. "I did want to talk to you about something though."

"Uh oh," Paige's brow rose. "What about?"'

"Nikki," Avery said, sitting down as Paige pulled a t-shirt out of her bag. She put her hands in her lap, "You seemed pretty annoyed with her yesterday."

"I did?"

Avery nodded, "You looked like you wanted to throw her out a window. Is everything okay with you guys?"

Paige sighed, sitting beside Avery, putting her arms around her knees, "Everything's okay."

"P," Avery gave her a warning gaze.

"Alright, alright," Paige rolled her eyes. "It's just..with Total Divas filming, Nikki is _everywhere_ I turn. It's starting to get to me."

"Nikki really likes you," Avery said. "She just wants the two of you to be friends."

"We _are_ friends," Paige insisted. "But we're never gonna be _best_ friends. We don't need to be around each other every second."

"Damn right you're not," Avery laughed. "You better not be trying to replace me."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Paige reached out, pinching her on the cheek. "You're family."

Avery hugged her tightly, "So are you. And speaking of family, I have to figure out what to do about Thanksgiving before Grammie kills me."

"Well whatever you do I'm going with you," Paige said. "Grammie makes the best food in the world."

Avery's grandmother fawned over Paige like a newborn child whenever she saw her. They adopted each other as family pretty much the moment they met. Paige probably talked to Dixie as much if not more than Avery. And she spent Thanksgiving with them every year.

"She really does," Avery laughed. "And obviously whatever the plan is, you're included."

"I didn't question that," Paige laughed.

"Seriously though, there's nothing else bugging you with Nikki?" Avery asked. She had a feeling that Paige was feeling a little encroached upon.

"I'm sure," Paige tucked her hair behind her ear. "That's it."

The door swung open again and Nikki walked into the room, smiling, "Ladies."

"Hey," Avery waved.

"Am I interrupting?" Nikki asked.

Avery looked over at Paige who winked at her, "Just let me know after you talk to Grammie."

"Of course," Avery assured her friend. Paige left the room and when Avery looked to Nikki, her friend's expression made her suspicious. She was up to something. Avery narrowed her eyes. "What's going on?"

"Remember when I told you about that restaurant John and I want to go to in San Fran?"

Avery nodded.

"Well you're coming with us," Nikki beamed excitedly.

"Nikki, I'm not going on a date with you and John," Avery shook her head.

"It's a double date," Nikki grinned.

"Excuse me?"

"I already talked to Randy, he's in," Nikki smiled. "The four of us have a reservation at a Michelin star restaurant. It's going to be amazing."

"What do you mean you already talked to Randy? I never even agreed to go," Avery reminded her.

"I was talking to John about it and he was there and the idea just hit me so I brought it up," Nikki explained.

"And he said…"

"That he'd love to go," Nikki smiled.

"Why do I get the feeling that's not _exactly_ what he said?" Avery crossed her arms.

"Semantics," Nikki waved. "He's going and so are you."

"Why?"

"Why _not_?" Nikki asked. "This will be a good opportunity for the two of you to actually _talk_ to each other."

"We _talk_," Avery bristled.

"With your clothes on?" Nikki challenged.

"Not often but that's the whole point," Avery laughed. "We're not in a relationship."

"You could be," Nikki suggested.

"But I don't want to be," Avery reminded her.

"Look, you can act like you're all carefree and open with your vagina all you want but I don't see you sleeping with anybody else," Nikki stated. "It might be a good idea to know a few things about him."

Avery hated to admit it but Nikki had a point. She could stand to make more of an effort to get to know Randy. When they did talk, with their clothes on as Nikki put it, she liked him. Maybe it wouldn't be bad to know more.

"It would also be a favor to me," Nikki said. "John's been trying to mend their friendship. It would be nice for the four of us to go out and have some fun."

"Why do I have such a hard time telling you no?" Avery shook her head.

"Because you love me," Nikki shrugged. "It's a blessing and a curse."

"You're ridiculous," Avery laughed. "But I will go."

"I knew you would," Nikki reached out and hugged her. "You won't regret it."

* * *

Jon looked through the t-shirts one of the production assistants had just given him. He couldn't have cared less which t-shirt he wore out to the ring so he just grabbed the one from the middle and dropped the others on the bench next to his bag. He pulled off his own t-shirt and was about to put on the new one when the locker room door slammed open. Jon looked up to see Claudio barging in. The other man tossed his bag down, yanking the zipper open.

"What's your problem?" Jon asked. Claudio wasn't normally so demonstrative. Sometimes Jon didn't even know he was in a room until he turned around and saw his stupid face.

"I don't' have a problem," Claudio huffed, shuffling through his things.

He could protest all he wanted but Jon saw through it. He didn't need three guesses to say what was wrong with him. He was certain that Claudio had his panties all in a twist over the news about Avery and Randy. The look on his face now reminded Jon of how he looked whenever he found out Jon and Avery made up after a fight. He looked defeated and angry.

Jon felt no sympathy for him. He had considered Claudio a friend for years and then the Swiss bastard tried to steal his girl out from under him.

Hell, a part of him wanted to rub it in. He wanted to chide Claudio for the fact that he tried so hard to get Avery away from him and when he got her, he couldn't keep her. Jon thought about telling him what Avery said; that her fling with Claudio only ever happened because she wasn't over him. He wanted to rub his smug nose in it. But he wouldn't do that, no matter how much he wanted to and there was only one reason for him to hold back:

Avery.

No matter how much he hated it, Avery cared about Claudio. He was her friend. She cared about his feelings and she wouldn't want him hurt. Jon didn't owe the other man any kindness but he did owe Avery. He would tank his chances at making peace with her if he went after Claudio and the momentary superiority he would feel wouldn't be worth making things worse with her. So he grabbed his shirt and walked away with a smirk.

* * *

_Sunday…_

"Okay, tell me what you think," Avery took a step back so Nikki could turn to take a look at her makeup. They were getting ready for dinner in John and Nikki's suite while John and Randy had a drink at the hotel bar. They were both about half ready. Avery's makeup was done but she hadn't decided what she was doing with her hair yet. She was wearing the grey halter style bodysuit she planned on wearing to dinner but she was also wearing a pair of burgundy sweatpants. Nikki's makeup was now finished but they still had to address her miles of hair.

"Will you just move in with me and do my makeup every day?" Nikki asked, admiring her face.

"No, I have a feeling you're very difficult to live with," Avery teased. "Have you even decided what you're wearing yet?"

"I've narrowed it down to several options," Nikki explained. "I'm really excited for this dinner. I've heard _amazing_ things about this place. One of my friends got engaged here a few months ago."

"Are you trying to drop hints?" Avery asked, pulling a brush through Nikki's hair.

"Unfortunately, no," Nikki sighed. "The last time I tried dropping hints about that we got in a huge fight. This night is all about fun and helping you and Randy get to know each other."

"Nicole," Avery glared at her in the mirror. "Do not make this weird."

"Why would you think that I would do that?" Nikki gazed innocently at her.

"Because you are a born meddler and you _seriously_ lack subtlety," Avery wrapped some of Nikki's hair around her curling wand.

"I can be subtle," Nikki insisted. "Look, I promise, I'm not planning your wedding. I just want the two of you to get to know each other a little better. I won't make it weird."

"I would greatly appreciate that," Avery continued curling. Her phone started buzzing, "Will you see who that is?"

"Colby," Nikki held the phone up.

Avery answered the call, holding the phone between her ear and shoulder, "Hey Col, what's up?"

"Nothing much," he said. "Me and Aaron are going to dinner. I wanted to see if you and Paige wanna tag along."

"I can't actually," she said. Dinner with the two of them sounded less awkward than what she was about to enter into but she certainly wasn't getting out of it now. "I have dinner plans with Nikki. I think Paige is filming tonight with Foxy."

"Come on, you can't rain check Nikki for me?" Colby asked.

"Not this time doll," she laughed. "But maybe I'll meet you guys later."

Nikki looked up at her and made a face mouthing _You will not_.

She pushed the top of Nikki's head, directing her gaze back to the mirror.

"Sounds good. I'll let you know where we end up," Colby said. "Your drinks are on me."

"You know how to make a tempting offer," she laughed. "I'll text you later."

* * *

"Car should be here soon," John returned to his spot next to Randy at the bar.

"You know, we could've just taken my rental car," Randy said. John called a car service for the four of them to take, which seemed a little ridiculous to Randy.

"Nikki likes a little bit of a fairytale sometimes," John shrugged. "And I'm happy to do that for her."

"You have become the sappiest man alive with her," Randy smirked. "I'm happy for you."

"She really is amazing," John smiled. "I don't know what I'd do without her."

"Well I doubt you'll have to find out," Randy said.

John and Nikki were clearly in love. Randy was glad his old friend seemed to have found his match.

"What about you and Avery? How is that going?" John asked.

"It's good," Randy shrugged. "It's casual, you know?"

"Well there's obviously something you like about her," John smirked.

"I like a lot of things about her but it wouldn't be gentlemanly of me to tell you what," Randy laughed.

"Gentlemanly is not a word I would ever use to describe you," John laughed. "But I won't ask for details."

"I like spending time with her," Randy shrugged. "We don't really know each other all that well."

"And that's how you want it?"

"I'm trying not to think too much about it honestly," Randy shrugged. "We're just having fun."

"Well Nicole seems to think she's the greatest thing since sliced bread," John said. "So just remember what I said. Be careful."

Randy found it a little odd that John was warning him on the behalf of someone he didn't even know but he shrugged it off.

"You think the girls are ever gonna make their way down here?" Randy laughed, looking down at his watch. It seemed like hours since Avery texted him to say she and Nikki were getting ready for dinner.

"Nikki takes forever and a day to get dressed, no matter what the occasion," John smirked, looking down at his phone. "But they kicked me out of the room early enough, they should be ready soon."

John laughed, turning his phone toward Randy. Nikki had posted a picture to Instagram of her and Avery getting ready. She was sitting in front of the mirror and Avery was standing beside her, leaning close to the mirror, putting on mascara. She'd hashtagged it 'Date Night'.

Randy's own phone buzzed and he opened up a text from Avery.

_We're on our way down. Still at the bar?_

He texted her back to confirm that they were there and within a few minutes, Randy saw their bartender's eyes nearly pop out of his head. He turned toward the door just as the women were walking toward them. Avery drew his gaze like a magnet. Confidence poured out of her in waves. It was incredibly sexy.

Nikki rushed over to Jon, wrapping her arms around his neck. Avery walked more slowly, waving at Randy. He met her half way, letting John and Nikki have a moment alone. Randy drank in the sight of her. She was in an extremely low cut gray top and a knee length black skirt that hugged her body like a glove. Her usually messy waves were curled loosely.

"Hey there," she smiled.

"Hi," he leaned close, giving her a kiss on the cheek, trying to keep from staring at her breasts in that top. She had a small black and gray tattoo of a lotus flower settled perfectly between them. "You look amazing."

"Thank you, so do you," she smiled. "I was always a fan of you in a suit."

"I hear that a lot," he didn't bother to hide his cocky smirk as he put hands in his pockets. They both looked over in the direction of their friends. They were eskimo kissing.

"Do you feel as weird about this as I do?" he asked quietly, though he already knew the answer.

She laughed with relief, her shoulders slightly relaxing, "It sort of feels like we're doing things out of order."

"I'm pretty sure we are," he smirked. "But that's not necessarily a bad thing. We started with the really fun part."

"We definitely did," she agreed. "So…Does this count as a date?"

"Do you want it to be?"

"I don't really know," she admitted.

He appreciated her honesty. He wasn't sure either.

"Let's just see how it goes," he suggested, offering his arm.

She looked up at him as she looped her arm around his, her hazel eyes warm and clear, "I like that idea."

"The car is here," John came over hand in hand with Nikki.

"They're gonna be adorable all night, aren't they?" Avery laughed as they followed behind the couple.

Randy laughed, offering her his arm, "My guess would be yes."

Half an hour later they were seated at the restaurant, John and Nikki on one side of the table and Randy and Avery on the other. John ordered two bottles of wine and they all looked over the menus. They were given one per couple. Avery leaned close and Randy put his arm over the back of her chair so they could look together. Her perfume wafted up to him and he resisted the urge to steal a kiss. She just looked so damn good. It was nice to see her a little more dressed up. She looked good on a regular day but this was next level. He couldn't keep his eyes off of her. She looked up at him, winking when she caught him looking. He forced his eyes to the menu. This night was supposed to be about talking.

Once their food was ordered and their first glasses of wine poured, the conversation started flowing.

"So Avery, what was it like working in Japan?" John asked.

"Going to Japan was the best decision I ever made," Avery beamed, visibly perking up at the topic. "I absolutely wouldn't be where I am right now if I hadn't done it."

"How old were you?" Randy asked. He knew she'd worked in Japan but he didn't really know any specifics.

"Just turned 18," Avery answered.

"And your parents didn't have any problems with you leaving the country so young?" John stared, surprised.

"My grandparents raised me," she said. "And they've always been really supportive. I worked all the way through high school and I saved my money so when I decided to leave and I didn't need much from them, I think they realized that I would be okay on my own."

"What made you decide to go there instead of just working here?" Randy asked.

"I started training when I was 15 and I got really into watching old stuff. I was really drawn to the work Bull Nakano did with Alundra Blayze in '94 and '95. Then I just sort of went on these deep dives from Bull Nakano to Manami Toyota to Aja Kong, Mariko Yoshida, Dynamite Kansai, Jaguar Yokota, Lioness Asuka," she looked sheepish when she realized the length of her list. "Sorry, I could go on forever. The _point_ is I wanted to do what they did, the _way_ they did it. And I didn't really feel like I could learn to do that here. So I packed up and I moved. I learned from the best and it was absolutely amazing. I loved Japan, although it took me a while to pick up the language. I made some of my closest friends there and I got to wrestle the most badass women on the planet. Everything I do in the ring now is shaped by what I learned there."

Randy was impressed. It was ballsy to just pick up and move to another country like that. Not many people could do it.

"I feel like I'm babbling," Avery laughed. "Let's talk about someone else."

* * *

"Why do you keep looking at your phone?" Joe asked, staring across the table at Colby.

"Because Avery hasn't texted me yet," Colby answered. A deep frown settled onto his face, brought on by the combination of his disappointment and Joe chewing his steak with his mouth open.

"Well she said she was going out with Nikki, right?" Joe asked.

"Yeah but it's Nikki," Colby said. He didn't have a problem with the brunette. He didn't think she was the sharpest tool in the shed but she was nice enough when Avery brought her around. "I just assumed she would bail on her by now."

"They're probably still getting dressed knowing A-Town," Joe laughed. "Just find out where they're going and we'll meet 'em up."

Colby picked up his phone, typing out a text to her _Finishing up dinner now. Where are you guys?_

Her response came quickly, _Just getting our food, gonna be here late. I'm not going to make it out. Raincheck? Drinks will be on me._

"She's bailing," Colby informed Joe, unable to hide his surprise. She'd just told him how they needed to hang out more. He understood that she already had plans with Nikki but he honestly assumed she would drop them. After all, he had seniority over her new friend.

Joe shrugged, "Don't look so disappointed. I know A-Town is a good wing-woman but we'll make do without her."

Colby chuckled, "I guess you'll have to do."

* * *

"Bye guys," Avery waved, leaning against Randy. John and Nikki got off the elevator. Nikki turned quickly, slightly unsteady on her stilettos and blew dramatic kisses at them. Avery pretended to catch one out of the air and then pressed her hand to her heart. Dinner had been more of a success than Avery could have expected. She had a fantastic time and it wasn't even thanks to the 2 and a half bottles of sauvignon blanc that she and Nikki put away. The conversation flowed all through dinner and then they moved to the bar for another 2 hours. Now she and Randy were standing in the elevator, alone for the first time all night. The doors wouldn't close until they decided where they were going. She knew either way she had to go to her room so she pressed the button for her floor and they were finally moving.

"So," she smiled at him. "This was slightly less weird than we thought it would be."

"It was," he agreed. "Nikki was surprisingly restrained."

"Very surprising," she nodded in agreement. "I guess I have to stop telling her she doesn't know what subtlety is."

"I wouldn't do that yet," Randy laughed as the doors opened. He waited for her to go first before falling into step beside her.

As they neared her door, she opened her clutch, moving aside her lipstick and phone. She frowned, moving the items around again.

"Everything okay?" he looked down at her.

"I _know_ my key was in here," she said, staring as if somehow the clearly missing key would just appear before her eyes. She knew she had it. She double checked before she left Nikki and John's suite.

It only took a moment for it to hit her.

Nikki.

They went to the bathroom together just before they left the restaurant and Nikki asked to use her rollerball perfume. Avery was touching up her lipstick so she just slid her clutch to Nikki.

"She took my key," she closed the clutch.

"What?" he laughed.

She sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose, "You were right, I spoke too soon on the subtlety. Nikki swiped my room key in the bathroom. And I'm willing to bet if I try to call her right now, I'll get her voicemail."

"Well then I guess it's a good thing that someone you know has a room just upstairs," he smirked, turning her to face him.

"You look a little too happy about this," she pointed. "Were you in cahoots with that crazy woman?"

"Not at all," Randy chuckled. "But I do like the way she thinks."

"And you just assume I'm coming upstairs with you?" she toyed with the button on his jacket. "What if I decide to go downstairs and get another key instead?"

He pretended to think about it for a moment before leaning down and capturing her lips. She was putty in his hands then. She felt his warm hand on the back of her neck and she gripped his shirt, a moan slipping past her lips as his tongue touched hers. Just when she was about ready to take her clothes off in the middle of the hallway, he pulled away slowly, his darkened blue eyes boring into hers.

"What were you saying about getting another key?" he questioned.

She kept her grip on his shirt, pulling him with her as she backed toward the elevator, "I'll get it from Nikki in the morning."


	15. Ready or Not

_Monday…_

Paul was tired, extremely tired. Raw had been rewritten twice, there was some problem with the pyro, and he was beginning to think that he was coming down with that damned cold that was wreaking havoc on the talent. Two more people had already shown up at the arena with it that day. He was ready to look into protective bubbles for all of them. At the very least, he was considering telling them they weren't allowed to talk to each other. He asked a PA to get him some cold medicine and plopped down in a chair.

"Knock, knock," his peace was quickly disturbed when Avery popped into the doorway. He almost forgot he'd sent someone to get her.

"You know, I'm beginning to get offended by how many talks you seem to want to have with me lately," she sighed, crossing her arms. "Also, you look terrible."

"Thank you. I feel terrible," he admitted. "And if you're so upset about talking to me, then I won't show you your new t-shirt."

"I have a new shirt?" she smiled excitedly.

He grabbed one off of the pile of new merchandise and tossed it to her. He enjoyed having these moments with talent; moments where they had tangible proof of their dreams coming true. Everyone had different reactions to merchandise but the recent more call ups were usually the most fun. He liked to see their reactions. The first time Avery got a shirt in NXT, she cried. Then she cried when she got her first main roster shirt. This was her second. He wanted her to be excited but he was hoping for dry eyes this time.

"I love it," she gushed, holding it up and turning it around. The front was a pop-art style picture of her face, all in black and white except for her lips which were a bright, bold red. The phrase 'Pretty Dangerous' was scrawled across the corner of the picture. She pulled it on over the shirt she was already wearing.

"I figured you would," he laughed. "They go on sale tonight."

"That's great, thank you so much," she gave him a grateful smile. Paul sneezed loudly and she winced, "Did you want to talk about anything else?"

"I wanna talk to you about your social media," he answered.

"What did I do?" she sighed. He understood her reaction. More often than not if they had to talk to talent about social media they were being reprimanded. They were left in charge of their own accounts but some of them took things a little too far. This time, though, that wasn't the case. They saw a lot of value in Avery's social media following. She was extremely active. She had the second most followers on Twitter and Instagram of all the divas, behind only the Bellas and that was with less than a year on the main roster. She also had a successful Youtube show that she started on her own called Beat This, a makeup show where she did a look on a special guest. She had a great connection with her fans and they were devoted and very vocal in their support of her.

"You didn't do anything that I know of," he laughed. "We want to use your following to our advantage?"

"How?" she looked confused.

"Well, I can't believe I'm gonna say this but…I want you to bash The Authority online."

She let out a surprised laugh, "What?"

"Storyline only," he pointed at her.

"What else could I possibly have to complain about?" she smirked.

"Don't make me regret this," he spoke sternly.

"Have I ever let you down?"

"Not yet," he answered.

"Do I have to run everything by you first?"

"I trust you enough to give you autonomy," he explained. "Just don't push the envelope too much."

"I can handle that," she agreed. "This is gonna be fun."

"Not too much fun," he warned.

"Didn't you just say you trust me?" she reminded him.

"I do but you look a little too excited for this," he laughed.

She assured him that she wouldn't go overboard and was about to leave when he spoke again, "Hey, how are you doing with this whole Ambrose thing? I think you could tell from that meeting that it's gonna happen, even if you two are hesitant about it."

A small part of him felt for her. He knew how uncomfortable it could be at times when business and personal relationships overlapped. He knew her breakup with Jon was something of a sore spot. If he didn't think the angle had so much potential, he wouldn't put either of them through it but he truly believed this was going to propel both of them to the next tier in their careers.

"Yeah, I got that impression," she sighed.

"You can speak freely," he assured her. "Vince isn't here."

"It's…awkward," she admitted. "But we're gonna take it and run with it. That's the only way to handle it. We'll give you guys what you want. We'll make it great."

Paul smiled proudly at her response. He knew she would say that but it was still good to hear. And it was the same thing that Jon said. It reaffirmed his confidence that they would work well together, even if they didn't think so.

"I've got a lot of faith in you both," he told her. "This is gonna be good."

"You just remember that when I say something shitty about you on Twitter."

* * *

Jon was walking back to the locker rooms from catering when he saw Avery coming out of Paul's temporary office. He'd been in there himself before he went to get lunch. Paul wanted to talk to him about their angle. He gave him a whole talk about advancing their careers and being ambassadors and how priceless a main event feud could be. Jon listened to most of it but he knew that it was Paul saying a whole lot of words that really boiled down to: You don't have a choice.

He didn't mind the idea as much as he did initially. All of the things Paul said made sense and with he and Avery working on getting along, he agreed that they could make something really good out of this.

"Did you get the pep talk too?" he smirked, opening up a water bottle.

"It was a pep talk of sorts," she answered. "I got permission to bash The Authority on social media. All in all, not a terrible day so far."

He gave her a surprised look, "What's this about bashing The Authority?"

She explained to him what Paul said in their meeting and he laughed, "So they _want_ you to talk shit? Interesting."

"I thought so too," she deviously tapped her fingertips together.

"I don't get how you spend time doing that shit," Jon shook his head. He didn't have any accounts on social media. He always thought they were a waste of time. There were so many other things he could be doing.

"I don't get why you hate it so much," she put her hands on her hips.

"People don't need that much access to us," he explained. "It's just not necessary."

"I like that my fans feel like they can get to know me," she smiled.

"If my fans got to know me better, they probably wouldn't be fans anymore," he took a drink.

She rolled her eyes, "You're ridiculous."

He shrugged, "You've called me worse."

"Only when you really deserve it," a smirk played at her bright red lips.

"Then I guess I have deserved it a lot," he said. "Because you have used some colorful language on me young lady."

She laughed, obviously amused at that. He was adjusting quickly to hearing that sound again; the sound of her laughter. It was loud and bright and could cut through any other noise. He could hear it clear as day in a crowd of a thousand people.

"All of life should be more colorful. You haven't even said anything about my new shirt," she chastised him. "Some _friend_ you are."

"Very nice," he looked down at the garment. "Look at you just rackin' up the merch."

"We should probably get you one," she said. "You know, for when you become my TV partner in crime."

"Baby steps Matthews," he laughed. "Pump the brakes. It hasn't happened yet."

Her phone started ringing and she looked down, "I have to take this."

"Go ahead, I'll see you later," he waved.

"You will," she turned, backing away. Her hazel eyes narrowed and she pointed at him, "One day, Good. You will wear this shirt."

"That exact one?" he pointed with his bottle. "The one that's on your body?"

She picked up her call holding up her middle finger in silent response, giving him her most sardonic smile.

He smiled, watching her go, knowing that she was right. She always got her way. One day, he would end up wearing the shirt.

* * *

Randy walked out of the locker room, heading toward the production area. He wasn't on the show for another half hour and he had time to kill. He passed Nattie, TJ, and Claudio huddled together. As he passed, he got a strong feeling of someone staring at him. Looking over his shoulder, he found Claudio's eyes shooting daggers at his back. He turned away quickly when Randy caught him staring.

He frowned, confused. He'd never had any issue with Claudio before. They weren't exactly friends but they got along just fine when they worked together. He couldn't remember doing anything to piss him off. He wouldn't worry too much about it though. Maybe he was just in a bad mood. He did have to spend a lot of time around Nattie who Randy found to be incredibly annoying.

He stopped next to Nikki who was standing by a monitor, watching Paige attempting to twist Brie Bella into the PTO. Avery's music started and she got a big face pop as she sauntered down the ramp. After dinner the night before, he felt a new appreciation watching her work. She put so much thought into every little thing. Some people thought all one had to do to transition from heel to face was start smiling and high fiving little kids. Avery considered everything; the way she walked, the way she smiled, even how she did her hair. The most minute details were important to her. Truth be told, he was impressed.

Paige let go of Brie, walking over to the ropes to yell at Avery. As planned, Brie got the distraction rollup, scurrying out of the ring as soon as the bell rang. She ran around to the end of the ramp where Avery was, giving her a high five. The two women laughed together but their enjoyment was short as Paige got out of the ring, stepping right into Avery's face. Brie made herself scarce as the two championship contenders jawed at each other. Then, Paige hauled off and slapped Avery hard across the face. Randy flinched. The clap of skin against skin was loud and clear over the sound of the fans. Avery held her cheek as the referee slid out of the ring, standing between the two of them. He put his hands up in front of Avery, trying to keep her from retaliating. Her eyes were still narrowed at Paige but she nodded, holding up both of her hands. When he turned to scold Paige, Avery grabbed his shirt, swinging him out of the way before attacking Paige. Then they were off to the races, punching at each other's heads and shoulders. They didn't hold back in the slightest. Paige whipped Avery into the ring apron. She cried out in pain, dropping to one knee. Paige came forward to grab her again and Avery launched herself forward, knocking her to the ground and raining down rights and lefts.

"It's crazy right?" Nikki looked over at him. "They're practically Siamese twins but they try to kill each other every time they go out there."

"That's how it is when you're working with someone you're close to," Randy said. "Back when me and John were attached at the hip we were the same way. At the end of the night, we'd both be covered in bruises."

"I guess," Nikki shrugged. "Brie and I try to make sure not to destroy each other's faces."

Two more referees ran down to the ring and they managed to separate Avery and Paige as they yelled threats at each other and tried to break free.

"So it seemed like you had a good time at dinner last night," Nikki remarked.

"I did," he admitted. "It was a lot of fun. Thanks for..I was gonna say inviting me but I think it was more of an order."

"It was a gentle push," Nikki shrugged. "And you're welcome. We really enjoyed ourselves. We should do it again soon."

Randy shrugged, "Sure, why not? Maybe you can let me talk to Avery about it this time."

"I could do that," she laughed, looking uncharacteristically self-conscious. "Listen, I know I was a little pushy about dinner but...I just think that there's potential for something special between you and Avery. I'm just trying to help."

"I get it. You're trying to be a good friend. Maybe just let us figure things out on our own."

"I'll try," she said. "Just keep in mind that you're not the only person barking up that tree if you know what I mean."

"I'm sure I'm not," Randy chuckled. "But I don't think I need to be worried about anyone else."

* * *

"Who the hell do you think you are?"

Avery closed her eyes, sighing deeply as Stephanie pointed in her face.

"Stephanie-"

"Do not interrupt me," Stephanie spat.

"You asked me a question," Avery reminded her.

"Shut up," Stephanie pointed. "There seems to be a misunderstanding here Avery. You seem to think that it's okay for you to just interrupt a match on _my_ show and start a brawl."

"I didn't start the fight," Avery argued. "Paige hit me first."

"You shouldn't have been out there in the first place."

"Why am I the only one getting yelled at?" Avery snapped. "Paige has _attacked_ me, more than once, and you haven't said a damn word about it. What is your problem with me?"

"I don't answer to you Avery," Stephanie stepped closer and Avery felt the camera man come closer as well. "You answer to me. And if you want to keep your shot at that Divas Championship, I suggest you keep your mouth shut..and do as you're told."

Stephanie walked away and Avery watched, shaking her head.

She heard slow clapping behind her and she turned around, rolling her eyes as Colby approached her.

"I gotta say…you have a real talent for getting yourself into trouble Avery," he smiled at her. "It's really something to see."

"Get away from me," she ordered.

"I don't get you," he frowned. "I've offered to help you. I've been nothing but nice and this is the thanks I get."

She glared at him, crossing her arms.

"You should really reconsider your attitude," he stepped closer. Her eyes followed his hand as he twisted a lock of her hair around his finger, brushing his thumb against her cheek. "If you tried to be a little...friendlier, I could put in a good word for you with Stephanie."

She looked up from the hair still twisted on his finger, allowing a slow smile to touch her lips, "Oh really?"

Colby looked her right in the eye, "I'd be happy t-"

Before he could finish, Avery cut him off with a hard slap across the face, her own hand stinging at the contact.

"Thanks for the offer Seth," she backed up, giving him a playful wave. "But I think I'm good."

She turned around and Jon passed her, heading toward Colby. She turned when she knew she was out of camera range, watching as Jon laughed, passing Colby. She was trying her best to get used to the three of them working together but it still felt a little weird. Colby lecherously hitting on her was a strange experience. Certainly, he felt the same way. She thought Colby was very attractive, she always had, but they'd never even come close to being anything more than friends.

"You should put some ice on that," Jon laughed, pointing at his own cheek. "Looks like it hurts."

"Cut."

As soon as she knew the camera feed was cut, Avery rushed over to Colby, putting a hand over her mouth. That slap had gotten away from her in the moment and she knew it _had_ to hurt.

"I am so sorry," she winced at the red mark on his cheek. She wrapped her arms around his midsection, her head against his chest. "Don't hate me."

"You owe me," Colby patted the top of her head before hugging her back.

"I do, I owe you," she agreed. She knew how he felt. Paige had slapped her so hard earlier that tears sprung to her eyes. She had to touch up her makeup to cover up the red mark.

"You trying to take his face off?" Jon approached, pinching Colby's cheek.

Colby let go of Avery, pushing his friend's hand away, "Dick."

"I didn't mean to do it that hard," Avery insisted, feeling guilty. "Seriously Col, I'm sorry."

"It's fine," he assured her. "I'm starting to get some feeling back in my cheek."

Avery tucked her hair behind her ears, "Do you want ice or something?"

"Oh yeah, I'm gonna go get ice because you slapped me too hard," Colby rolled his eyes. "That'll look great."

"What happened to you?" Jon pointed to her hand.

She looked down at the tops of her hands which had been marred with long, red scratches. She'd actually forgotten all about them.

"Courtesy of Paige," she laughed, holding her hands up. When the referees were pulling them apart, they'd grabbed onto each other's arms tightly. When they were pulled, Paige's nails dragged across Avery's hands. "It looks worse than it is."

"You should go get them cleaned up, just to be safe," Colby advised.

"I guess that's not a bad idea," she shrugged. One or two of them looked deep.

"You want me to go with you?" Colby offered.

"No, I'm good," she assured him. "Don't you guys have a match to get ready for?"

"_I_ have a match," Jon corrected. "This asshole is gonna make me lose to again."

"Well, you did just make fun of me," Colby said. "You kinda have it coming."

* * *

_Wednesday…_

Paige held up a laundry basket with her hip and one arm while she tried to go through her keys and find the one to Avery's front door. She had a bunch of laundry to do and her washing machine was broken. She only wished that Avery was actually home to do the laundry for her. Washing clothes was one of Paige's least favorite activities. She knew it was necessary but it always felt like a big waste of time. Unfortunately, Avery had an appearance in Detroit with Jon so Paige was on her own. When she finally located the right key, she unlocked the door and walked in and dropping the basket on the floor. She missed having her best friend as a roommate but at least she didn't live far. Also, unlike Paige's apartment, everything in Avery's house always worked. She walked into the kitchen and set her keys down, grabbing a bottle of water before she retrieved her laundry basket. She had another two baskets worth of laundry in the car and she wanted to get as much as she could finished before she had to head to Nattie's to film for Total Divas. At the thought of having to film for the show, she returned to the kitchen, trading her bottle of water for a beer. It was early but she had a long, most likely annoying, day ahead. She collected a bottle opener, her beer, and her laundry basket and headed down the hall toward the laundry room at the back of the house. Then, she heard an unexpected noise. It sounded like running water. She was _certain_ that Avery was in Detroit. She spoke to her the night before when she was checking in at her hotel. Paige felt her adrenaline surge and she set down the basket, picking up the bottle opener and holding it tightly in her hand. It had a sharp end and could be a weapon if she needed it to be. The sound seemed to be coming from the bathroom at the end of the hall. She took a deep breath and held it as she grabbed the doorknob as gently as she could. Then, she silently counted to three before turning the knob and swinging the door open roughly.

* * *

Rami let the water run over his face, making sure he rinsed all of the shampoo out of his hair. He'd accidentally grabbed one of Avery's instead of his own and he hoped he wouldn't smell like flowers and citrus all day. He had to go to the Performance Center and he was sure he'd never hear the end of it. He braced his hands against the wall in front of him, leaning his head forward and letting the warm water run over the back of his neck. He and Kevin had worked out in the ring late the night before and he was a little sore. When he was satisfied that he'd rinsed as well as he could, he moved the shower curtain, looking for a towel. The empty bar stared back at him so he pushed the curtain aside, reaching down to turn the water off. He would just have to grab a towel from the linen closet on the way back to the bedroom. He was drying his feet on the bathroom rug so he didn't trail footprints down the hall when the door slammed open.

"What the hell?!" he shouted as he found Paige's dark, angry eyes trained on his. She was charging into the bathroom, holding out a small silver object in front of her.

"Rami?" she stopped suddenly, staring at him. Her eyes traveled south and opened wide and Rami grabbed the shower curtain, holding it to cover himself. He'd been so startled by her that he forgot he was standing there stark naked.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, mortification setting in as she blinked before dragging her eyes back up to meet his face.

"What are _you_ doing here?" she questioned, lowering her weapon.

"Avery's letting me stay here while she's gone," Rami explained, feeling redness creeping up his neck and stinging his cheeks. He stared at her, waiting to see what her excuse was. Sure, she was Avery's best friend but Avery wasn't home.

"I came to do laundry," she explained. "The machine is broken at my place."

"Avery didn't tell me you were coming," he said, wrapping the shower curtain tighter around his waist. Not only was he embarrassed but he was beginning to get cold.

"I didn't call her first. I have my own keys," she said. She was having trouble stifling a smile and finally she let out a laugh, "I'm really sorry. I thought you were a squatter or something."

"I'm sure Avery appreciates your willingness to defend her home," Rami laughed uncomfortably.

"I uh…I will let you get back to..whatever," she said, obviously feeling awkward. "I'm so sorry again."

"It's okay. Maybe just knock next time," he suggested.

She laughed, "I will try to remember that."

"I'll be out of your hair soon," he assured her. "I've gotta head out."

"I hope you're not rushing because I saw-" she tucked her hair behind her ear. "Because of me. You uh..you don't need to leave on my account."

"No, no, I just have to go," he assured her, feeling a whole new wave of embarrassment washing over him. "Hence the shower."

"That does make sense," Paige laughed. "Okay, I'm gonna go now."

Rami nodded, offering a quick wave. She closed the door behind her and he was about to untwist himself from the curtain when he remembered his current lack of a towel.

"Shit," he sighed, scratching the top of his head with his free hand. This just got worse and worse.

"Hey Paige," he called loudly, hoping she could hear him. He wasn't about to walk down the hall in the buff knowing she was there but he couldn't very well stay in the bathroom until she left.

It only took a few beats for her to tap lightly on the door. _Now_ she knocked.

"Did you call me?"

"Yeah," he sighed. "Would you mind grabbing me a towel?"

* * *

Avery rifled through her suitcase, trying to decide what she was going to wear. She and Jon were supposed to have a radio interview, a print interview, a signing at a toy store, and then they were appearing at The Palace, the sight of December's TLC pay per view, before the Pistons game. Such a full day would be a true test for the two of them. She hoped she could make it the whole day without trying to wring his neck. Her phone started ringing and she abandoned her search when she looked down at the screen and saw Paige's face.

"Good morning love," she said cheerfully, pressing the phone between her ear and shoulder.

"Why didn't you tell me Rami is staying at your house?" Paige's voice was much higher than usual. She sounded panicked.

"I don't know. I guess I just forgot to mention it," Avery answered, confused. "Why? Are you at my house?"

"Yes I'm at your house Avery. I came over to do laundry," Paige's tone was harsh. "And I just walked in on Rami getting out of the shower."

Avery couldn't help it. She cracked up, "_What_?"

"This is not funny. He was naked," Paige said. "_Completely _naked."

"Now when you say _completely_…" Avery smirked.

"Full frontal," Paige clarified. "Saw it all."

"Oh my," Avery laughed. "That's awkward."

"I'm absolutely mortified."

"Oh honey, you don't know how to be mortified," Avery laughed. Paige wasn't some innocent sheltered virgin. Seeing a naked man couldn't freak her out _that_ much. "Wait a minute, where is he? Did you knock him out or something?"

"He's leaving," she explained. "After I had to go get him a towel."

"Oh that's just great," Avery laughed. "So you saw it all twice?"

"I kept my head turned the second time and the door was barely cracked open," she explained. "He was even more freaked out than I was."

"I should think so," Avery chuckled. "Well the moral of the story here is that you need to stop showing up at my house unannounced."

"Well that's not gonna happen," Paige said. "Just warn me next time you have a houseguest so I don't invade their privacy."

"Right, it's just my privacy you disregard," Avery rolled her eyes. "Anyway, I'm sure Rami's fine. I assume you apologized. And he's one of the most legitimately nice people in the entire world. He's not gonna care that you saw his junk."

"Thanks, that makes me feel so much better," Paige said dryly.

"Well, what do you want me to say?" Avery laughed. "It's taking most of my willpower not to ask questions."

"You are not helping," Paige grumbled.

"I don't think there's anything to help," Avery said. "What's done is done. Unless you want to flash him your tits to even the score, this situation is pretty much settled."

"You're probably right," Paige sighed.

"I do that every once in a while," Avery shrugged. "Just take a deep breath. I'm sure you'll both forget all about it soon enough."

* * *

Randy nodded to his housekeeper as he walked through the kitchen. He'd just finished a morning run and he came in through the back so he could grab a bottle of water on his way upstairs. He had the next two days off and for once he actually had very little to do. He had a doctor's appointment that afternoon and he was taking one of his cars in Thursday morning but that was pretty much it. He wasn't going to complain about it. He had a few nagging aches and pains that could definitely use the rest. When he got to his bedroom, he peeled off his sweaty t-shirt and took off his armband, tossing it and his phone down onto the nightstand. The housekeeper obviously hadn't made it upstairs yet because his sheets were all over the place. He tended to be a wild sleeper when he was alone. He slept all over the bed, changing positions countless times.

He hadn't actually been sleeping alone all that much lately. When Avery was in his bed, he slept differently. He was usually spent so he got much deeper sleep. He always woke up in the same position he started in; on his side with his face buried deep in her thick hair. His thoughts drifted from how the two of them slept to wondering what she was doing. He knew she didn't have any real off days that week. She was somewhere in the Midwest doing promo, he couldn't remember which city. He picked up his phone, finding her name and typing out a text to her.

_How's work gorgeous? I don't even know what to do with all this free time._

Her response came quickly, _**It's not nice to gloat. And I'm not working yet. I have had a very amusing morning though.**_

_What's so amusing about it?_

_**Well…it involves a naked man in my shower.**_

Randy frowned, _Should I be jealous?_

_**Not at all. I'm not getting anything out of it.**_

He laughed, unsure if he wanted to ask for the full story.

_**Believe me, I'd rather have you in my shower**_

_Me too,_ he agreed. _What are you doing?_

He received his answer in the form of a picture. She was standing in the bathroom, wrapped in a short towel, all of her wet hair flipped over to one side.

He bit his lip, staring at the image a little longer than necessary.

_Are you trying to torture me because I gloated?_

_**Torture hurts. I'm not hurting you.**_

_It doesn't hurt but's it not exactly comfortable either,_ he typed out, looking down at his shorts.

_**Well that's what you get for having an off day.**_

* * *

Jon walked down the hall toward Avery's room, yawning. He didn't know what time he got to sleep the night before but whenever it was, it was too late. He wasn't much of a coffee drinker but he was considering getting some to get him through the morning. He knocked on her door, expecting her to answer right away. Knowing Avery, she'd been up for hours, worked out, and eaten an impossibly healthy breakfast. She could be annoyingly dedicated sometimes. He used to spend many mornings convincing her to stay in bed with him instead of going for a run or to the gym. He wasn't always the best influence.

She didn't answer right away and he was about to knock again when the door opened. She stood there in nothing but an old Stardom t-shirt with dripping wet hair.

"Hey," she said, looking confused. It was more of a question than a greeting.

"Am I early?" he asked. He checked the schedule when he got up. He was trying not to be late and piss her off.

"A little, yeah," she laughed, leaning against the door. "The car won't be here for another 30 minutes."

"That usually means you're already waiting downstairs," he reminded her.

"I slept in this morning," she shrugged. He figured she was going to send him on his way but to his surprise she stepped back, keeping the door open, "You can come in if you want. I just have to finish getting ready."

If he went back to his own room he would undoubtedly end up falling asleep. It was probably in everyone's best interest if he stayed. He walked in, looking around, "Is there a coffee maker in here?"

"There's one of those Keurig things," she pointed behind her. "It's all yours."

"You ready for a long day?" he asked, walking over to the minibar where he found the Keurig and cups.

"Hopefully it won't be too bad," she answered. "I've never done this radio show before. Do you know these guys?"

He looked over at her, catching her leaning down to get something out of a suitcase on the floor. His eyes landed on her legs. He couldn't help it. The t-shirt she was wearing just barely covered her ass. He knew she didn't think anything of it. Avery had never been shy about her body and it wasn't as if he hadn't seen every inch of her before. Still, hers wasn't a body anyone could ever be bored with. Even at their most contentious point, he sometimes found it difficult to keep his eyes off of her.

She looked up from her suitcase, "Jon?"

"Uh, no. No, I don't know them either," he remembered she'd asked him a question. He turned his attention back to his coffee. Staring at Avery wasn't going to wake him up the way he wanted.

She stood up, twisting her hair up into a bun, "Oh well. I'm sure we'll be fine."

He was trying to figure out where to put the stupid little cup when she walked over, taking it out of his hand.

"It goes in here," she giggled, popping the top and putting the cup in.

"Thanks," he looked down, watching her hands. She had the head of a lion tattooed on the middle finger of her left hand. One of the scratches she got Monday went right through its face.

"This looks better," he caught her hand, running his thumb over a mostly healed red line. She tensed and he expected her to pull her hand away. He wasn't even sure why he'd touched her to begin with. It just happened. He didn't let go though. And to his surprise, she didn't pull away.

"Yeah, they really did look worse than they were," she said quietly. She looked up at him, her hazel eyes puzzled. He felt a drop of water from her hair fall onto his hand and it seemed to startle them both. She pulled her hand away and he cleared his throat, turning on the Keurig.

"I'm gonna go get dressed," she grabbed something from the bed and then went into the bathroom.

He didn't know what to make of whatever that was.

It was probably nothing. He touched her hand. He'd touched her hand hundreds of times before. There was nothing weird about it. He was just tired and overthinking.

He finished making his coffee while she went into the bathroom. When she came out, her Stardom shirt was replaced with a tight black and white striped shirt tucked into a short black pleated skirt and a pair of black socks that came up to her thighs.

"Presentable enough?" she asked, turning around in front of him. Presentable was one word for it. She couldn't just wear a pair of baggy pants?

He shrugged, taking a drink of his coffee, not about to let on what he was thinking, "I guess you'll do."


	16. Like Clockwork

2 Weeks Later…Monday

Claudio wrapped a towel around his waist, walking back into his bedroom. He was having the rare, relaxing Monday morning. He had a late flight to Minneapolis, arriving just a few hours before Raw, which meant he got to take his time, eat a nice meal and get a good workout in at home before getting to the airport. He walked to his nightstand, picking up his coffee cup with one hand and his phone with the other. While he was in the shower he'd missed a call from Avery. He rubbed his forehead, dialing his voicemail. Of course, she left a message. She'd left several in the last few weeks.

"Hey, Claudio, it's me. Again," she sighed. "I'm at the airport, waiting for my flight and…I really want to talk to you but it's finally getting through my head that you're just not ready. I just want you to know that whenever you are, I'm here. You just say the word and we can talk about anything you want. I guess that's it…I'll see you soon."

There was a sadness in her voice that tugged at Claudio's chest. He didn't like making her unhappy. It didn't make him feel better to know that she was upset. He knew that Avery cared for him. He knew that he was important to her. He was just having trouble understanding why the feelings between them weren't enough. When they were together, there was passion. He treated her like a princess. When she ended things, he felt that the only thing keeping them apart was that she wasn't over what happened between her and Jon. He'd been more than willing to give her time. She was worth waiting for. Now she had just moved past him and on to someone else and he didn't know how to deal with it. Did he try to change her mind or did he just give up? He still wasn't ready to decide. He wasn't sure when he would be.

* * *

Jon strained through his last few reps, regretting adding more weight to press.

"Alright, tough guy, that's good," Joe said, helping him rack the bar.

Jon sat up, wiping the sweat from his forehead.

"We gotta get going soon," Joe looked up at the clock. "Where'd the lovebirds go?"

Jon laughed, looking around for Aaron and Summer. They weren't talking about it but it was pretty obvious that something was going on with the two of them. Aaron was in an impossibly good mood and Summer seemed to be tagging along with them everywhere. When he caught sight of them, Summer was on a treadmill and Aaron was leaning on it making googly eyes at her.

"Good for him," Joe smirked, shaking his head.

"Yeah, he finally found a girl who can tolerate him," Jon laughed.

"Listen man, you can't talk shit about him," Joe said. "He's getting laid and you're not."

"You don't know what I do in my free time."

"I know whatever it is, you're doing it by yourself," Joe laughed. "I haven't seen you with anyone in a while."

"You volunteering?" Jon joked.

"You fuckin' wish," Joe laughed. " I wouldn't get with you even if I did like guys."

"Then why are you so concerned with what I'm doing?" Jon asked. "Shouldn't you be worrying about yourself?"

"Oh, there's nothing to worry about here," Joe brushed off his shoulder. "I'm well taken care of."

"By who?" Jon questioned.

"None of your damn business," Joe laughed.

"But whether or not I'm getting laid is your business?"

"Yeah," Joe patted him on the shoulder. "I can hook you up if you need help."

"I have never and will never need your help," Jon pointed. "Don't you forget that."

"Relax, bro, I'm just trying to help," Joe reminded him.

Jon rolled his eyes, "Well you can rest your pretty head. It hasn't been as long as you seem to think. I'm just fine."

* * *

Avery pushed her sunglasses up on top of her head, smiling as she signed an autograph. She briefly glanced over her shoulder to Nikki and Brie who were behind her, doing the same. They'd just gotten off of a long flight and they were dead tired but there was a huge group of fans that had been waiting in front of the hotel when they arrived. She tried not to let it frustrate her that she couldn't just go up to her room and take a nap. Without the fans, she wouldn't have a job. She just wished they didn't always seem to have such an easy time figuring out where everyone was staying. She didn't even attempt to keep track of how many things she signed. By the time the crowd finally started to dissipate, her hand was beginning to cramp. The trio of Divas allowed the last few fans to take some pictures and one of them gave Avery a beautiful pencil drawing of herself with the Divas' Championship belt. Things like that made her feel guilty for momentarily wishing they hadn't been there. She gave the young man a big hug and thanked him, promising to frame the artwork and put it up in her house. The fans all seemed to be moving toward something in the parking lot and Avery figured someone else that worked for the WWE must have showed up because they all looked excited.

"Let's go while we still can," Brie suggested, leading the way into the lobby. They all checked into their rooms and then loaded onto the elevator. Avery wondered if Nikki's luggage put them over capacity. She didn't pack light herself but Nikki was on another level.

"This is really good," Brie took a look at the picture Avery received. "No one brought me anything."

"Me neither," Nikki laughed. "I guess that's what happens when you're the queen of social media."

"Oh God," Avery rolled her eyes. The Bellas had been giving her crap about this ever since she surpassed them in Twitter followers the week before. Avery attributed the surge in followers to her recent tweets about The Authority. Fans were really responding well to the way the angle was going so far. The previous week on Raw, she'd been called into The Authority's office where Stephanie demanded that she apologize for slapping Seth Rollins. Avery tried to fight it but then Stephanie lectured her about how a champion should behave and said that maybe they didn't need the match at Survivor Series and Paige was the rightful champ. Avery gave a reluctant apology which he immediately followed by hitting on her again. Avery had been standing near gorilla when the segment aired and she got to hear just how much support she had in the crowd. She was having a lot of fun with this. And it was getting slightly less weird for her, Jon, and Colby. For the most part, when it came to TV they were still interacting with each other separately; Colby and Jon, Avery and Colby, but not Avery and Jon together. At the weekend's live events though, Jon and Colby went up against each other and Avery did run ins, causing Colby to lose. They had a lot of fun with it and because they closed the show, Avery and Jon had been the ones to thank the fans for coming at the end of each show. Sunday night there was a man in the audience with a sign that it was his 70th birthday. Jon and Avery brought him into the ring at the end of the night and led the crowd in singing happy birthday to him.

"Brie's just jealous," Nikki teased. "She knows most of our followers are there for me."

"Obviously," Brie laughed. "Avery, you know we just like giving you crap. I'm really happy for you."

"Thanks Brie," Avery smiled. "I appreciate that."

"I heard that tonight's the night," Nikki said as they reached their floor. "He's gonna save you from Rollins."

"Something like that," Avery shrugged. It was a bit of a simplification but the sentiment was right. Unless plans had changed, Colby was supposed to interfere in her match with Tamina and then Jon would confront him.

"So…are you nervous?" Brie asked, looking at Avery expectantly.

"Nervous about what?" she laughed.

"Being your ex boyfriend's TV girlfriend," Brie laughed.

"We're not jumping right into the relationship thing," Avery clarified. "And Jon and I are okay. We haven't gotten into any fights yet."

They'd been coexisting remarkably well in her opinion. They went out with their friends a few times, made it through a few appearances, and they'd only gotten annoyed with each other once because he showed up late.

"It's gonna be different when it gets romantic though," Nikki insisted.

Brie was staring at her like she was missing something incredibly obvious, "Don't you just wonder?"

"Wonder what?" Avery stopped when they reached her room first. She leaned against the door.

"You don't think this may bring up some old feelings?" Nikki asked.

"There aren't any dormant feelings to bring up," Avery laughed, shaking her head.

"Honey, that's impossible," Brie disagreed. "You can't be with someone that long and then feel _nothing_. Look at how angry you both were at each other. That means there's feeling there."

"Yeah, feelings of anger," she laughed. "That's it."

"Come on, you aren't at all worried about the lines being blurred?" Nikki questioned, crossing her arms over her chest. "I mean, John is the love of my life but I think I would still feel a little flustered if I had to kiss Nick again. It might stir up something."

"I'm not worried about it," Avery brushed it off. "Why are you so concerned about it?"

"I'm just curious," Nikki shrugged. "And I bet Randy would be too."

"Don't you ever get tired of speaking for other people?" Avery smirked.

"No, not at all," Nikki shook her head.

"Alright, I need to go take a nap," Avery announced, wanting this conversation to end. "I will see you lovely ladies at the arena."

"Just think about what we said," Brie pointed at her as they walked away.

"Bye," Avery said loudly, making sure they knew she was done talking about it. Once they were gone around the corner, she opened her door, dragging her bags inside.

She set her keys down on the bedside table and plopped down on the bed, taking a slow, deep breath.

Fucking Bellas,

She'd been doing her absolute best not to think for one second about what kissing Jon again would be like. In fact, she planned to avoid it for as long as she possibly could. In her mind, they were going to have the most platonic on screen relationship ever. It was going to be like the '50s. The most scandalous thing they were going to do was link their fingers when they held hands. That obviously wasn't what the company had in mind but it was what she was going to imagine until something actually had to happen.

She didn't want to think about kissing Jon because, though she absolutely would not _ever_ admit it, she was a little scared of it. She was scared of the possibility that she would enjoy it. When they were together, Jon could convince her to do basically anything with a kiss. She could be furiously, glass throwing angry but if she let him get close enough and he grabbed her and kissed her, it was over. She melted immediately: played like a fiddle.

99 percent of her was sure that he'd lost that power. Too much had happened. There'd been too much negativity and drama. There was no way he could just kiss her and make her head spin anymore. Unfortunately, there was still that 1 percent that flushed at the very thought of it.

She closed her eyes, sighing deeply.

"Fuck."

* * *

Kevin walked out to his car, dropping his gym bag into the backseat. He had to head to the Performance Center to meet with Paul and Dusty and then shoot promo photos and video. His debut on Takeover was fast approaching and it seemed like every time he turned around, they were throwing something else at him. He loved it though. He was getting everything he'd spent years working so hard for. He wasn't about to complain. As he pulled out of the driveway, he picked up the phone with his free hand, scrolling to Avery's number. Jessica had reminded him on his way out the door that he was supposed to call her back. She'd called the night before but Jessica answered his phone and the two of them ended up talking for so long that by the time his wife was willing to hand over the phone, Avery had to go.

After a few rings she picked up. Her muffled 'hello' sounded like she was laying on top of the phone.

"Are you just waking up?" he asked. "I thought you had a flight this morning."

"I did," she yawned. "I was taking a nap."

"Lazy ass," he teased.

"Oh whatever," he could hear the eye roll. "What are you doing?"'

"Heading in to work," he answered. "Jess told me to ask you the plan for Thanksgiving."

American Thanksgiving wasn't exactly a huge deal to him but Avery always made it a big thing and Jessica and the kids loved it. They spent the holiday at her grandparent's house in Tennessee last year.

"Grammie is insisting on coming to my house and cooking since I can't make going there work," Avery laughed.

"Who else is coming?"

"Anyone who wants to come," she answered. "You know Grammie, if she has her way the house will be full of wayward wrestlers."

"Your grandmother does love an orphan," Kevin laughed. Dixie adopted everyone. "Is Claudio coming?"

"Do I have _any_ friends who are subtle?" Avery sighed.

"Probably not. Most of your friends are professional wrestlers," he reminded her.

"He's still not talking to me," she said, a little life draining from her voice. "Has he said anything to you?"

"Not about you," Kevin answered. He'd spoken to Claudio many times in the last few weeks but she hadn't come up. Claudio wouldn't gripe about her to him, probably because Kevin forbade him from ever getting involved with her in the first place. He actually didn't hate the idea of the two of them together as much as he used to. Claudio was a good guy. He treated her well and he was just scared enough of Kevin that he would never do anything to hurt her. Unfortunately, Avery wasn't going to go with the good guy. That just wasn't how she worked.

"Well if he does talk to you just…just tell him I'm sorry," she said. "I didn't think to tell him about Randy and he won't talk to me so I can't tell him myself."

"I'll tell him," Kevin assured her. Avery didn't always make the best choices but she never did anything out of malice. He knew how much it bothered her that Claudio was upset with her. "It probably won't mean much coming from me though."

"You're all I got," she countered.

"If you're this upset about him being upset, don't you think you need to reconsider the choice you're making?" he suggested. "Maybe you want to make this thing with Claudio work more than you realize."

He knew what she was going to say but he said it anyway. Kevin was living a great life. He had a fantastic wife and the best kids any two people ever created. He wanted Avery to have something like he did.

"I don't," she sighed. "I know that probably makes me an idiot or an awful person but..we just don't work."

"Why not?"

"Because there's not enough between us," she answered. "I mean, the sex was great-"

"Gross."

"But..."

"But what?" he rolled his eyes, though he knew she was just collecting her thoughts. "He was too nice to you? He respects you too much?"

"He liked me so much more than I liked him," she tried to explain.

"And that's bad because..?"

"Because it wasn't fair to him," she sighed. "You and I both know that eventually I would have started to walk all over him and I didn't wanna do that. He deserves better."

"So you think sleeping with Randy Orton is a better life choice?" he questioned.

"Jesus, Kev, I'm 25. Am I not allowed to have any fun before I settle down? And why the hell is everyone's reaction to this so negative?" she asked. "Did he murder someone that I'm not aware of?"

"He just seems like an asshole," Kevin shrugged. He'd been around Randy several times now and he just got a bad vibe from him. He got a feeling the whole 'Viper' persona wasn't too far off from reality. "And as the only real positive male figure in your life other than Pops, It's my job to protect you from that."

"You're an asshole," she reminded him. "And I love you."

"Yeah but I'm a special breed," he smirked. "You aren't gonna find a guy like me."

"You are the worst," she laughed. "I gotta go. I need to get my ass in gear."

"Alright," he said, noting how tired she sounded. "Just make sure you're taking care of yourself. You're working more; you need to be on your game all the time. Don't let any drama distract you."

"Yes mom," she said. "I'm touched that you care."

"Shut up," he rolled his eyes. "Have a good show tonight."

"I will. I'll text you later," she said. "Give the kids kisses for me."

* * *

Randy stood back, admiring the view as Avery bent over in a stretch. Watching her stretch routine before a show was becoming one of his favorite pastimes. The red shorts she wore made her ass look fantastic. His eyes followed as she stood up, stretching her arms up over her head. She turned in his direction, putting her hands on her hips when their eyes met.

"Don't you have anything better to do?"

"_No_," he shook his head. "There is nothing I would rather be doing right now."

"You sure about that?" she smirked, deliberately crossing her arms under her ample chest. She was wearing the tank top version of her new shirt and it was skin tight on her and cut low.

"Okay, you're right, there are a few things I would rather be doing," he admitted, snaking his arm around her, lifting her feet just off the ground and moving around the corner.

"What are you doing?" she giggled as he pinned her against the wall.

He answered her with a kiss, holding the sides of her face. She was travelling with Paige again for the week so they'd been afforded very little alone time in the last few days. He worked his tongue into her mouth and she moaned, running her hands over his chest and up onto his shoulders.

She tried to pull away but he pulled her closer, not ready to stop yet. He finally let go when he needed air.

"Didn't we talk about not doing this at work?" she asked, breathless.

"Did we talk about that?" he smirked. "I don't remember this conversation."

"We definitely talked about it," she gave him another soft kiss. "You're making this very difficult."

That was what he was hoping for. He was planning on trying to convince her to spend the night with him. The more worked up she was, the harder it would be to say no. He tried to kiss her again but she ducked him, putting a few inches of space between them, "You never stop, do you?"

"I wasn't planning on it."

She turned her head when he tried to kiss her again so he placed a soft kiss on her neck. He knew he had her then. Her sharp intake of breath gave it away.

"Come with me tonight," he placed another kiss just below her ear.

"Jon?"

He felt her body stiffen and he pulled back, staring at her, "What?"

* * *

Jon stood with his hands in his pockets, wishing he could be anywhere but there. He'd been asked to grab Avery so that they could have a quick meeting with Paul before the show started. He went to look for her and here she was with Randy crawling all over her.

When Jon cleared his throat, Randy turned around, looking less than pleased when he saw who was interrupting them.

"Hey," Avery forced a smile, looking anxious as she stepped out from behind Randy. "What's up?"

"Paul sent me to get you," Jon explained. "He wants to talk to us about something."

"Damn it, again?" she tossed her head back. "What now?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Jon shrugged.

"You need to do this right now?" Randy questioned.

"Hey man, I don't question the boss," Jon put his hands up.

He couldn't say he minded that Randy was so obviously annoyed though.

"I will talk to you later," she turned a bright smile up to Randy.

"You will," Randy leaned down, planting a kiss on Avery. His hand slid down her back and Jon looked away before he grabbed her ass.

"Randy!"

Jon still wasn't looking but he heard Avery's footsteps coming toward him.

"Let's go," Avery tapped him on the arm and he turned to walk with her, grateful to be out of that awkward situation.

Nothing like watching a guy you hate pawing at your ex.

"You don't have any idea what he wants to talk about?" she asked as they walked side by side.

"Nope," he shook his head. "I didn't do anything I should get punished for today. Did you?"

"Nothing you need to know about," she smirked.

"You're right," he cringed. "I'd rather not know."

She laughed, bumping his shoulder with hers. He wasn't expecting the contact and it knocked him off balance.

"Really Matthews?" he caught up to her as she tried to scurry away. He grabbed the end of her ponytail and she yelped, her voice cracking as he stopped her in her tracks.

She contorted around to face him, not managing to loosen his grip, "You better let go right now or shit's gonna get real."

"Oh yeah?" he smirked. It amused the hell out of him when she got like this. "What are you gonna do?"

"I'm gonna kill you," she asserted confidently. She always went hard with her threats.

"I don't think you're gonna kill me," he chuckled, winding her soft hair around his finger. "Especially not in front of all these witnesses."

"Let go jerkface," she slapped at his hand.

"Oh now we're name calling?" he shook his head disapprovingly. "See, I was gonna let you go but now you have to say it."

"Say what?" Avery asked, her neck bent in a position that would be uncomfortable for most. She wouldn't last much longer.

"You know what you have to say," he looked her right in the eye.

He could see the moment of recognition in her eyes. For years, they had a phrase that was the only way for one of them to get out of a difficult position. She was the one that started it.

"Are you kidding me?" she scoffed.

"Just say it," he smiled, extremely amused. "That's all you have to do."

She tried to frown but she was obviously having a hard time stifling a laugh, "Fine, fine."

"I'm waiting," he leaned close.

"You are the king of the world, master of the universe, and…" she started laughing, "No. No. I'm not saying the rest."

He tugged at her hair.

"Ow, ow, okay," she laughed. "You are the king of the world, master of the universe…and the greatest lover I've ever had."

"Oh, there it is," he let go. "Now the truth comes out."

"You are horrible," she slapped him on the arm.

"Can't change your story now, toots," he smirked. "You already told me how you really feel."

"You are so lucky we have something to do right now," she glared, stepping very close to him. She was close enough that he could feel the warmth of her skin. He also had a very good view right down her shirt. He risked a quick glance, hoping she didn't notice. She poked him hard in the chest and he snapped his eyes back up to her face, "This is not over."

He smiled, "Promise?"

Her right eyebrow rose and tilted her head, her expression puzzled.

"Good to see you two are getting along so well," Paul's voice behind him made Jon turn to look over his shoulder. "Did you forget I need to talk to you?"

* * *

"I heard you and Avery were making out by wardrobe like a couple of teenagers," John took a seat across from Randy in catering.

"Oh yeah?" Randy looked up at his friend. "Where'd you hear that?"

"Miz," John answered. "He said you guys weren't doing a very good job of hiding."

"I wasn't trying that hard," Randy shrugged. He would have to talk to Mike later about minding his own business.

"You've never been the PDA type before," John observed.

Randy shrugged, "I'm having more fun than I've had in a long time."

The last year of his marriage had been pretty rough on him. He felt like he was trapped, suffocating in a situation he wasn't sure how to get out of. Then the relationship with Cara was always strained. He liked her but it seemed like she was always complaining about something and expecting more of him than he ever offered. Avery was so different. She didn't seem to feel any need to define what was happening between them. She didn't ask anything of him.

"That's good to hear," John smiled. "And I get it. You're in that honeymoon stage of the relationship. You can't keep your hands off each other. You guys will learn to hide it a little better at work."

"It's not a relationship," Randy corrected. "But you're right. I'll make it more of a point to stay away from prying eyes."

"Are you still coming out for Nikki's birthday Friday?" John asked. He was planning a whole day for Nikki and invited Avery and Randy along with Brie and Bryan and some of Nikki's other friends.

"Yeah, I'm flying in Thursday morning."

"Brie and Bryan are staying out the house," John explained. "You're welcome to stay if you don't want to be stuck in a hotel."

"I'm actually staying at Avery's," Randy explained. "There's no point in staying in a hotel when I'm just gonna end up there anyway."

"Makes sense," John said. "Staying at your non-girlfriend's house."

"She's not my girlfriend," Randy laughed.

"Maybe she should be," John shrugged. "You've been so much less of an asshole lately."

"Have I?" Randy feigned surprise. "I've gotta get back on my game."

* * *

Colby adjusted his headset, watching as Avery whipped Alicia into the ropes and then dropped her with a jumping knee to the head. He was doing commentary on her match while his 'henchman' Joey and Jamie stood at ringside.

"Why exactly did you feel the need to come out here during Avery's match Seth?" Michael Cole asked.

"I'm just here to show support for our women's division Michael," Colby said. "Two of our best and brightest are having a great match and I wanted the best seat in the house."

"So it doesn't have anything to do with the special interest you seem to have taken in Avery lately?" Michael asked.

"He already answered your question Michael," JBL cut in.

"It's okay, JBL," Colby said. "You're right Michael, I am interested in Avery. I think she's a great talent but she's got a terrible attitude. I'm just trying to help her reach her full potential."

"Yeah but she's already told you that she's not interested," Cole pointed out. "So why not just leave her alone?"

When Avery got close to the ropes again, Jamie grabbed her ankle, tripping her up.

Michael shouted angrily and Colby laughed as she managed to keep her footing, turning and leaning through the ropes to yell at Jamie. She grabbed his tie, yelling furiously at him.

"Oh now that is just uncalled for," Colby pointed.

"Are you kidding me?"

Alicia snuck up behind Avery and rolled her up for a three count, holding the back of her shorts while she tried to kick out.

"J&amp;J just cost Avery that match," Michael spat.

"Avery cost herself that match, Cole," Colby argued as Avery slapped her hands on the canvas in frustration while Alicia celebrated outside the ring. "She let herself get distracted."

He watched as Avery slid out of the ring, her hazel eyes narrowed to slits and trained right on him.

Colby smiled, "I think you're gonna have to excuse me gentlemen."

"Good luck with _that_," JBL quipped.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" Avery yelled as Colby took off the headphones and stood, moving away from the table.

"I'm just trying to help you, sweetheart," Colby smirked.

"Help me?" she stared. "Those idiots just screwed me over!"

"Just calm down," he put his hands up. "There's no need to be so angry."

Stay the hell away from me!" she pointed at him.

She turned to leave but he caught her hand. She spun back toward him quickly with her left hand raised to strike. He blocked her from hitting him, clenching his hand in her hair and tilting her head back. Colby could hear Cole shouting in righteous indignation behind him and a particularly loud fan to his side, screaming at him to let her go.

He walked her backward a couple steps, knowing that the camera would get a better angle while she tried to get his hand out of her hair. He licked his lips, slowly leaning down to kiss her, milking the moment as much as he could.

* * *

Avery winced at the sharp tug of Colby's hand in her hair. She had a feeling this might have been him getting her back for that stiff slap a couple weeks ago. He leaned in close and just before he could touch his lips to hers, Jon's music started and the crowd absolutely erupted.

Colby let her go, casting a frightened gaze toward the ramp and Avery stumbled back into Joey. Jon rushed down the ramp and Colby looked panicked, grabbing his Money in the Bank briefcase, hurdling over the security barricade before Jon could catch him. He followed Colby over the barricade as did Joey. Jamie tried to follow but Avery grabbed the back of his jacket and spun him around.

"Where ya goin' Jamie?" she asked loudly.

Jamie started apologizing and Avery grabbed his tie for the second time, using it to swing him into the ring post.  
She leaned down, as he laid on the ground, "Stay the hell away from me!"

* * *

_Saturday…Atlanta, Georgia_

Avery tried and failed to stifle a yawn as she dragged her suitcase behind her into the hotel lobby. To say that she was drained after the last few days was a gross understatement. She had 2 signings and a Be-A-Star Rally between Tuesday and Wednesday, not to mention the Smackdown taping. Wednesday night Kevin's first promos for his NXT debut started airing and when he sent the clip to Avery she cried. Then she face-timed him and Jessica and the three of them talked for almost 2 hours. She spent half the day Thursday at the Performance Center with Sarah, assisting with some of the classes. The other half of the day was spent in bed with Randy, which she didn't have any complaints about. Friday was Nikki's birthday and John had every moment of the day planned. Brie and Avery accompanied Nikki to a spa that morning and a ridiculously decadent breakfast. Afterward, they met up with the men, went golfing, then had a few drinks in the country club. They all went back to John's house to change before dinner at a 5 star restaurant and a club after. Then, Avery had a photoshoot Saturday morning. Now, she was dead tired and thanks to some turbulence she didn't get any sleep on her flight. The only good thing about the flight was that it was delayed enough to get her out of going to another Total Divas dinner. Everyone else arrived in Atlanta earlier than her and Paige sent her about 25 texts, asking if she was going to make it.

Avery rolled up to the front desk and took her wallet out of her backpack, pulling out her ID.

"Hi, my friend already checked into our room but she left my key down here for me," Avery explained to the clerk. "Avery Matthews."

"Sure Miss Matthews, give me just a moment," the young woman smiled. Avery rested her elbow on the counter, forcing a friendly smile. It wasn't even 8p.m. but she desperately wanted to go to sleep. Actually, she wanted a cocktail first, and then sleep.

The young woman took her ID, typed a few things in the computer and then grabbed a keycard from the side of the register.

"Okay, you are in room 515, the elevator is right over there. The password for the wifi is in the envelope with your key."

"Thanks so much," Avery smiled. "Have a great night."

She turned to head to the elevators and bumped hard into the person behind her in line. He was a tall, slender young man who looked like a stiff breeze could take him down. He was wearing a backpack that seemed to be full past its capacity and Avery was certain he was going to fall over.

"I'm so sorry honey," she held his wrist to keep him from stumbling backward. "Are you okay?"

When she was sure he was steadied, she let go quickly. His skin was damp and clammy.

"I'm totally fine," he gave her a nervous smile, wiping his palms on his jeans. "You're Avery Ryan."

"I am," she smiled. Of course, he was a fan. She gave herself a mental slap on the cheek. She was going to be nice, even if she wasn't in the best mood. She would just do her best to keep it brief.

"I am such a huge fan," he smiled. "I've wanted to meet you for years. I've seen like all of your matches."

"Oh wow," she smiled. "Even the really old stuff?"

"_Especially_ the old stuff," he nodded enthusiastically. "Your work with Io Shirai and Kana, those are some of the most epic matches I've ever seen. You're seriously the best."

This wasn't the first time she'd heard praise for her work with those two. They were probably her absolutely favorite opponents from her time in Japan along with Mayu Iwatani and Meiko Satomura.

"That's so sweet, thank you. What's your name?"

"Kent."

"Well it is lovely to meet you Kent," she smiled, reaching out to shake his hand. "And I hope you're coming to the show tomorrow night."

"Of course," he grinned, his mouth stretching uncomfortably wide. The palm of his hand was slick against hers. He seemed so nervous she was almost worried for him. "I can't wait to see you win the belt. You deserve it. They should've put it on you right away."

"Well I appreciate how confident you are," she laughed, hoping he wasn't going to be too upset when she lost, which was the plan unless things had changed in the 24 hours since she last spoke to Paul.

"Would you..would you mind maybe taking a picture with me?" he asked.

One picture, then you can go, she told herself.

"Sure, why not?" she agreed. He excitedly pulled up the camera app on his phone and Avery rubbed her tongue over her teeth to make sure she didn't have lipstick on her teeth. She was expecting him to ask the hotel clerk to take the picture but instead he held his phone up, turning on the self-facing camera. He put his arm around her shoulders, pulling so that she was much closer than she wanted. She could feel a surprising amount of muscle in his thin frame. His cheek pressed against hers and she could smell his sweat and just a little too much cologne. She tried for an easy smile but she could see on the screen that she looked tense. He didn't seem to notice and happily snapped a few pictures.

"You're even prettier in person. Really beautiful," he let go of her shoulders and she took a big step to the side to create space.

"That's nice of you to say, thank you," she said, grabbing the handle of her suitcase. "It was so great to meet you but I really have to get going."

"This is seriously like the best moment of my whole year. I can't believe I'm finally meeting you," he said. He was either ignoring her attempt to make an exit or he was so excited he didn't hear her. She guessed the former. "Can I hug you?"

This wasn't the first time she'd been asked for a hug and usually she was all for it but something about this kid was making her hair stand on end. Her experiences with fans had definitely intensified since she'd come up to the main roster, reaching a huge audience like theirs would do that but she was getting used to the different ways fans reacted to her. Screaming, hyperventilating, crying; those she could deal with. She always thought it was sweet, but there was something off about the way he was looking at her. She tried her best to shake off the feeling. She was tired and crabby and it was making her judgmental. He was just a nervous, excited guy who'd come to the hotel knowing wrestlers were staying there. The weirdness she was feeling was probably just a little social anxiety. If he was as big a fan of hers as he said he was, she didn't want him going home thinking she was standoffish.

"Okay, sure," she nodded and in an instant he had his arms wound tightly around her. She knew he wasn't going to pull away on his own so after a few seconds, she cleared her throat, putting a hand on his shoulder to guide him back. She could feel him resist for a fraction of a second before taking a small step back.

"Thank you so much," he smiled. "I can't believe I got to hug Avery Ryan."

In her head she heard Joe saying 'Believe That' and it made her laugh a little and relax.

"You're very welcome," she smiled graciously. "You have a good night now, I'm gonna get going."

"I can help you with your bags if you want," he stepped into her path.

"Oh no, hun, that's okay," she tried to walk around him. "Make sure you tag me on Instagram if you post our picture."

"I really wouldn't mind helping," he reached out putting his hand over hers.

Avery looked over at the clerk behind the check in desk but she wasn't paying any attention. Great.

"No thank you," she said, her tone firm. "Have a good night Kent."

She pulled the bag out of his grasp and headed to the elevators, praying they came quickly. Her wish was granted, the doors popping open as soon as she pressed the button to go up. Then, just as the doors were closing, Kent's slender figure slid through. His toothy grin looked stiff and he rubbed his palms on the front of his jeans, "I'm sorry, I just wanted to say one more thing."

* * *

Jon sneezed, slamming the trunk a lot harder than he intended.

Fucking cold

It was Joe's fault. He kept sneezing all over everyone when he had it. It was only a matter of time before he caught it. Jon was just glad he didn't have anything to do for the rest of the night. Once he checked in to the hotel he could just sleep until morning. Some of the guys wanted to go out but Jon wasn't having any of that. He was going to down some Nyquil and let the strange dreams it would bring guide him through the night. He was pleased to see that the parking lot was empty. Windham sent out a text earlier saying that when he checked in the lobby was crawling with fans. Apparently it took him forever to actually get to his room.

When he got close to the door Jon saw Avery. She was standing with a young man, probably a fan, who seemed a little too close for comfort. The look on her face immediately gave him pause. She looked anxious, an emotion he didn't often equate with her. She seemed to be making an exit but then he stepped in her way, reaching out and grabbing the handle of her suitcase. Jon picked up his pace, keeping his eyes on her as she pulled her bag out of the guy's reach and headed for the elevator. The stranger hung back for a second but once Avery was on the elevator he rushed forward, slipping inside just as the doors closed.

Jon ran inside, slapping his hand down on the counter to get the clerk's attention, "Did you just see that?"

Fans had done all kinds of crazy things to invade his privacy. It was disturbingly easy for people to find out where they were staying and show up. It drove him crazy that some hotels weren't better about their security.

"See what sir?" the older woman smiled at him.

"Jesus, nevermind," he shook his head, looking over at the elevator again, hoping it would just come right back down. "The girl you just checked in, what floor is she going to?"

"Oh I'm sorry, I can't give you that information," she gave him a condescending smile.

Jon had a few things to say to that but he didn't have time. His adrenaline was spiking and he had a bad feeling about what was happening in that elevator. He'd told Avery many times that she was way too accessible to people. He loved his fans too but Avery acted like their best friend. She was always taking selfies with fans, letting them hug her; she didn't create boundaries. That was a problem because when they allowed the line to blur, some people would just jump right over it.

He left his bags at the desk, walking over to the elevator. Fortunately he was able to see where it was stopping.

"Call security and send them to the fifth floor," he told the clerk, jamming his finger on the button for the elevator until it came.

* * *

As the elevator climbed, Avery could feel her stomach sinking. She kept her eyes on the doors, trying to decide what to do when they opened. Kent was talking. She wasn't listening anymore. She was trying to figure out the proper way to handle this. She was a trained athlete. If she needed to, she could definitely take him down. She just hoped it wasn't going to come to that. The bell dinged loudly when they reached her floor and Avery nearly jumped out of her skin.

"Okay, you really need to go back downstairs, Kent," Avery said, pressing the button to keep the doors open.

"I'm just trying to help," he said, touching her suitcase handle again.

"I don't need any help," she spoke sternly, looking him in the eye. His pupils were dilated and his green eyes were dark and cloudy. "I'm going to get off the elevator here. You're gonna go back downstairs. Do you understand?"

"I don't think you understand," he took a big step closer to her. She could feel his breath on her face and then before she could blink, he was gone.

* * *

Jon didn't take a second to consider his actions. He grabbed the back of the kid's backpack and pulled him out of the elevator. He shoved him roughly against the wall, holding him in place with his forearm.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?" Jon barked. The man's eyes were wild and he was sweating bullets.

"Jon, stop," he could hear Avery's voice but it sounded far away.

"I just wanted to talk," the frightened stranger sputtered at him. "I just want to get to know her."

"Are you crazy?" Jon stared at him, pressing his arm harder into his chest. He was seeing red.

"Jon!"

He felt Avery's hands gripping the back of his shirt and he looked over his shoulder at her. Her frightened expression helped to ground him. Some of the red started to recede.

"Let him go," she pulled at his arm.

"Are you okay?" he asked her, not letting up.

"I'm okay," she assured him. "Let go."

"Please let me go," the young man begged. "I just wanted to talk to her."

Jon felt himself being pulled away by hands he knew were too large and calloused to be Avery's. Everything was a blur for a moment, he heard security guards yelling and Avery trying to explain what was happening. He twisted out of the grasp of whoever was holding him, closing the space between himself and her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he put his hands on her shoulders. He felt out of breath, like he'd been running laps around the hotel.

She nodded, "I'm okay. I'm fine."

The next few minutes were something of a blur. One of the security guards escorted the fan back downstairs, which was a good thing because Jon was having a hard time focusing with him standing there. The remaining guards asked Avery a few questions. Jon asked if they had called the police and they informed him that they would at Avery's request but it would be unlikely that the police could do anything since Avery was unharmed.

"What if I say I saw him touch her?" he offered.

"Jon!" she slapped him on the chest.

"What?" he looked down at her. "He followed you up here. Who knows what that little creep had in that backpack?"

"It's not necessary to call the police," Avery insisted. "As long as you all can make sure that he does not come back here before I check out Monday morning. And our company security needs his picture as well."

"Avery," Jon stepped in front of her. "You need to let them call the cops."

She looked up at him, "I'm okay. Nothing happened. It would be a waste of time."

Jon vehemently disagreed but she wouldn't budge. The hotel's head of security came upstairs and apologized to Avery. She was assured that both she and Jon's rooms would be comped and that they would tighten security in the lobby. Apparently two of the three front desk clerks on duty were at lunch when Avery checked in. All the while, Jon stood close, not trusting anything that was going on. He didn't like that she was letting this kid off the hook but he knew she wasn't going to change her mind just because he didn't agree. Once everything was settled, the people from the hotel headed back downstairs and Jon and Avery were left standing in front of the elevators with her luggage. His things were still downstairs but he didn't care. He'd get it later. He was more concerned about her. She was cool and calm with the hotel staff but he knew Avery; he saw how scared she looked in that elevator. She wasn't going to get over it so quickly. She was looking down at her suitcase, tapping her nails against the handle. She had a tendency to tap out songs or start humming when she was feeling particularly upset. The rhythm helped calm her.

"Hey," he spoke softly, touching her elbow.

She looked up at him with wide, puzzled eyes.

"Come on," he moved his hand up, smoothing it over the back of her head. "I'll take you to your room."

She nodded distractedly, still tapping on her suitcase. He grabbed the handle and picked up the backpack she'd put down on the floor.

They made the walk to her room in silence. He reached out his hand for her keycard and she gave it to him with a shaky hand. Once inside, he set her things down while she sat on the couch, folding her legs beneath her.

"You should get in touch with Paige," he advised. "She'll lose her shit if she thinks you didn't tell her right away."

"I texted her," she sighed, rubbing her forehead. "She's already on her way here."

"You okay?" he asked. He spied a bottle of whiskey on the coffee table. He raised an eyebrow, picking it up.

"Paige said she and Foxy were pre-gaming here before they went to dinner," she explained, taking the bottle from him and downing a swig. "And…I'm not really sure if I'm okay. That was pretty fucking weird."

"Yes it was," he took his own turn downing some of the liquor.

"How did you even know what was going on?" she asked.

"I saw you in the lobby when I was coming in," he explained. "I knew something was up."

She nodded, looking down at the bottle when he handed it back to her. She was shaken, he could see it. He couldn't blame her. The first time he had a fan cross the line with him he'd been pretty freaked out and not many things in life could rattle him.

She started tapping out a tune on the bottle and turned her hazel eyes up to him, "Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me," he put his arm over the top of the couch behind her. "I'm always gonna have your back. You know that."

She took another drink, a longer one this time, "I'm sure it was nothing, you know? You probably scared the shit out of that poor kid for no reason."

"Don't do that. Don't downplay it," Jon insisted.

She pulled a hair band from her wrist, twisting her hair up into a bun, avoiding eye contact with him.

"Look, Av, you could be right," he scooted closer to her. "He could have just been some fan with boundary issues. But you could be wrong. He could have been planning to force his way in here. You said no and he kept pushing. That's not okay."

She nodded, biting her bottom lip. Her eyes fell on the table and she took a long, deep breath.

He took his turn with the whiskey, the welcome sting flowing down his throat.

"You're right."

She was so quiet he could barely hear what she said. He knew how much she _hated_ admitting she could be wrong. This was like stumbling across a unicorn. He leaned his ear close to her face, feeling the tip of her nose touch his hair, "I'm sorry. What was that?"

"Fuck you," she laughed, pushing him back.

"Come on, just one more time," he pleaded.

She rolled her eyes, taking the bottle back. For the next few minutes, they sat in silence, trading the bottle back and forth. He didn't really know what to say but he didn't want to leave her alone. They started with half a bottle and it didn't take them long to reach the bottom. She handed it to him, offering up the last drink. He took it but his eyes stayed on her. She was looking down at her hands. He could see tears clinging to her dark lashes.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked, touching her shoulder with his to draw her back to him.

"My mind is kind of all over the place," she admitted, propping her head up on her hand. "I keep thinking about what would happen if you hadn't been there. And it keeps going back and forth between absolutely nothing and 'Misery'."

"No one's gonna 'Misery' you on my watch," he smirked. He took her free hand in his, looking down at her lion tattoo. He was trying not to think about what could have happened. He was there and she was fine and that was all that mattered.

"I seem to remember you telling me once that I wasn't your problem anymore," she smirked, looking down at their hands. "Shouting it at me is more accurate. I _think_ you were drunk at the time but I'm not positive."

"You're always my problem," he rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. His eyes traced over the lion and then the tiny black heart right under the nail of her index finger, that one was new. He ran his thumb over the inside of her finger where he knew she had the words 'Come What May'. He didn't have to look to know what was there. He was with her when she got it.

"What is _that_ supposed to mean?" she smirked.

He didn't plan to answer her. It meant a lot of things that he wasn't even sure how to explain. She didn't push it. She looked down at their hands, weaving her fingers with his. She traced a line on his palm with the tip of her thumb. He closed his eyes at her soft touch. She'd always been able to do that. She could touch him anywhere and he felt it everywhere. He hadn't felt that in a long time. He opened his eyes, searching her face. Sitting there, holding her hand, he was overwhelmed with the sudden, overwhelming desire to kiss her. It had been months since they'd kissed but in that moment it felt like eons. He licked his own lips, his eyes falling to hers. She wasn't moving away. He released her hand, moving his up and holding the side of her neck.

* * *

Avery couldn't breathe. Jon's hand was on her neck and he was staring at her lips and she absolutely could not breathe. There was an all-out war happening inside her. This was a terrible, terrible idea. Kissing Jon would be a mistake. A stupid mistake. But her body was tingling and it was definitely about to happen and she could not bring herself to make any move to stop it. He leaned close and she felt herself doing the same. Her forehead touched his and she lost herself. She grabbed the front of his shirt.

"Avery!"

Avery was so startled by the sound of Paige's voice that actually cried out. She and Jon scrambled to opposite ends of the couch, staring as if they'd scalded each other. Paige's voice had obviously snapped them out of whatever strange trance they'd fallen into.

"I'm right here," Avery stood up, tearing her eyes away from Jon's to look at her former roommate barreling toward her. Paige immediately started looking her over for damage like a mother with her lost child. Avery didn't mind, grateful for the distraction.

"She's okay, Paige," Jon spoke up from the couch.

"I will be the judge of that, thank you," Paige spat back at him. She squeezed Avery's face in her hands, "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she tried to nod but Paige's grip was too tight. "You're hurting me."

Paige released her face, pulling her into a vice-like hug, "What the hell happened?"

Avery and Jon started speaking at the same time. Avery described the situation as a big misunderstanding that everyone, herself included, blew out of proportion. Jon described it as though some maniac with a backpack full of weapons had attempted to abduct her.

"Well I'm glad you were there," Paige told Jon.

"Me too," he agreed.

Paige spied the empty whiskey bottle on the table and laughed, looking back and forth between them.

"She was antsy," Jon offered.

"You drink my booze all the time," Avery shrugged unapologetically. She hazarded a glance in Jon's direction and caught him staring at her with a puzzled expression.

Good, at least she wasn't the only one who was confused. She was so glad Paige hadn't seen what nearly happened. She didn't want to have to try and explain it. Temporary Insanity. That was the only possible reason.

"I should get going," Jon stood up. "I left all of my stuff in the lobby."

"I think I saw it down there," Paige spoke. "It's still in front of the desk."

"You just left your bags downstairs?" Avery questioned.

"I was in a little bit of a rush, Avery," was his snarky reply.

"Right," she sheepishly tucked her hair behind her ears. "Thank you again for…"

"Coming to your rescue?" he suggested with a smirk.

She rolled her eyes, "Sure. That."

"You're welcome," he headed toward the door. "Let me know if you girls need anything."

"We'll be fine," Paige crossed her arms. "Thanks again."

"You got it," he waved before disappearing out the door.

Avery let out a loud, deep breath, forgetting for a moment that Paige was standing next to her.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Paige turned to her.

Thankfully, Avery could just blame any weirdness she exhibited on what happened with Kent. She nodded, "Yeah, I'm good. I promise."

Avery plopped down on the couch, putting her feet up on the table.

"Good," Paige smiled. "Then you can tell me what the hell I just walked in on."

_Shit_

Avery didn't have much time to decide on a course of action. She only had two options.

1\. Cop to it

2\. Deny 'til you die

"Huh?" Avery went for denial. "What are you talking about?"

"Don't you dare," Paige pointed. "I saw you."

"You saw me do what?" Avery asked. Nothing _actually_ happened.

Paige looked at her and Avery wasn't sure if she was being sensitive or if it was the most judgmental look she had ever seen. Denial was definitely not going to work.

"I don't know," she threw her hands up. "One second we were talking and then the next-"

"You were about to crawl into his lap?" Paige quipped.

"I was not," Avery pointed.

"What were you thinking?" Paige asked. "What if I hadn't walked in?"

"Obviously I _wasn't_ thinking Paige," Avery snipped. "I was emotional and we were drinking-"

"Half a bottle of whiskey is hardly to blame," Paige interjected.

Avery glared at her. Paige knew she hated being interrupted. And she also hated being scolded.

"Okay, okay," Paige put her hands up. "I'll shut up. Just tell me what happened. What were you talking about?"

"I honestly don't even remember," Avery said after a moment. Her brain had turned to mush. All she could remember was his hand on her neck and the look in his eyes. "What the _fuck_?"

Paige picked up her phone.

"What are you doing?" Avery glared.

"Oh calm down, I'm not telling anyone," Paige said. "I'm calling Foxy. We need more whiskey."


	17. Toast to Tomorrow

**Apologies for the long wait, I had some huge changes in my professional life. The changes have been good but left me with a lot less time to write for a while. Now I have a lot _more_ time. At least for the next few weeks. I'm excited to crank out a few chapters as soon as I can. As always, Read, Enjoy, and Review! And huge hugs and thank you's to those who have already shared your thoughts. It's greatly appreciated.**

_Sunday…_

Jon couldn't seem to stop staring at the ceiling. He'd been awake for an hour, maybe longer, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't stop. He was just lying there, thinking about Avery. He kept imagining the way her eyes locked with his, the feel of her hand twisting his shirt, pulling him toward her, the rush he felt when her lips were close to his.

He rubbed a hand over his face, trying to draw himself out of it. There was nothing to think about.

Nothing happened.

They were both a little charged up. She was emotional, he didn't like seeing her upset. She was probably just reaching out for something familiar the way people did when they were shaken up. And him…he didn't have a really good explanation for why he'd tried to kiss her. He was tired, maybe horny, he didn't know. It didn't matter. It was an isolated incident. There was no chance it was going to happen again.

So why the hell couldn't he stop thinking about it?

He had other things to worry about, like the fact that he couldn't breathe out of his left nostril and he was pretty sure he had a fever. These were immediate concerns. He looked over at the clock, groaning when he saw what time it was. He and Joe were supposed to leave for the gym in 10 minutes.

He forced himself up and took a quick shower. Joe was rarely late so he didn't have a lot of time. He was pulling on his clothes when he heard his friend's knuckles rapping at the door.

He opened it and Joe cringed when he saw him, "Man, you look like shit."

"Good morning to you too."

"Good morning," Joe responded. "You look like shit."

"Yeah, well, it's all your fault dickhead," Jon turned, leaving the door open as he searched for a room key and his phone.

"The curse got you too?" Joe gave him a pitying look. "Shit, man, I'm sorry."

"You should be," Jon grumbled. "Let's go."

"You sure you wanna go?" Joe questioned. "You can skip today."

"Yeah, I'm fine," he nodded. "I'm hoping I can sweat this thing out."

"Well, you at least got some good sleep, right?" Joe followed him toward the elevator. "When I had it all I wanted to do was sleep."

The image of Avery pulling him forward flashed through his consciousness again.

"I didn't get much sleep," Jon jabbed at the down button. He could hear his own voice in his head and it was very bothersome.

Joe raised an eyebrow at him, "Something else bothering you?"

"No, why?" Jon asked quickly. "What else would be bothering me?"

"Nothing that I know of," Joe chuckled. I'm just checking."

"Well I'm fine," Jon snipped.

Joe made a face, "O…kay."

* * *

Avery held up her lanyard and the security guard stared at her pass for a moment before letting her by. He did the same to Paige right after. Security was extra tight getting into the building. Protocols that were often ignored were being followed to the letter. One of the Total Divas cameramen was held back because he left his credentials at the hotel. Avery, Paige, and the rest of the crew tried to vouch for him but the issue had to be handled officially. He had to wait while security made some phone calls to verify his clearance.

"You just _had_ to go and get yourself almost kidnapped," Paige shook her head as they headed inside, leaving the E! crew to get that sorted on their own.

"This can't all be because of me," Avery insisted. "I wonder if something else is up."

"I don't know what it would be," Paige looked around. "Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I didn't want your little friend running up on us in the parking lot."

"Shutup," Avery laughed, pushing her friend ahead. She was trying not to think about it but it was hard to forget the events of the night before. There was a strange mix of things going through her head. The fan incident was still very fresh in her mind. She wondered if she made a mistake not having the police contacted. Paige and Foxy had lectured her about it all night and she didn't want to imagine what Kevin would have to say when she spoke to him. Then, there was the other strange part of the night. The part she had absolutely no explanation for. She had almost kissed Jon. She couldn't even pretend that she'd been some innocent bystander while he made a move. In the moment, she actually wanted him to kiss her. She was obviously losing her mind.

The women did everything necessary to check in and Avery tried to clear her mind and focus on something else as they took their bags to the dressing area. Before they could really settle in, they were informed that they needed to sign a bunch of merchandise for auction.

"Yay," Paige rolled her eyes.

"That's what we get for being here so early," Avery sighed. They both changed into sweats before heading to the merchandise area.

"Avery!"

She jumped, turning around when she heard Colby call her name. He rushed over to her, gripping her shoulders in his hands, "Why the hell didn't you call me last night?"

Avery shot Paige a panicked look, "Did you _tell_ him?"

"I think he's referring to your little friend, Cupcake," Paige smirked.

"Oh right," Avery mentally kicked herself. "Of course he is."

"What else would I be talking about?" Colby looked at her like she'd grown another head.

"Nothing, obviously," Avery laughed. "I'm sorry I didn't call. It just wasn't that big of a deal."

"Not a big deal?" Colby stared. "Avery, you could have gotten hurt."

"But I wasn't," she reminded him. "I'm fine. I swear. I was just a little freaked out. Paige took care of me."

"And Jon," the dark haired Brit interjected.

"Yes, and Jon," Avery tried to be subtle when she narrowed her eyes at her best friend.

"Yeah, he told me he got to you before anything could happen," Colby said. He put his arm around Avery's shoulders, pulling her into a half hug, "I'm just glad you're okay."

"Yeah," she sighed. "Me too."

* * *

Randy knocked on the door to the women's dressing area. He texted Avery when he got to the arena but she hadn't responded yet. He heard about what happened at the hotel from John and Nikki and he wanted to make sure she was alright.

When the door opened, CJ Perry smiled up at him. He could see Eva and Trinity behind her.

"Hey Randy. What's up?"

"Is Avery in there?" he asked.

"No, she and Paige went to sign things for the auction site," CJ explained. "They're probably almost done. You should text her."

"Yeah, I'll try that."

He turned to leave but he heard someone call his name. Eva was the one who stopped him.

"When you see Avery, will you let her know I need to talk to her?"

Randy fought off a laugh. Avery wouldn't be thrilled to hear that piece of information. He agreed to let her know and then went off to try and find her.

After a short search, he found her sitting at a table with Lopez and Paige. She was cupping Colby's chin in her hand and he was trying to fight her off. Randy cleared his throat loudly and she looked up at him, smile lighting her face, "Hey."

"Hey," he waved as she let go of her friend's face.

Colby's eye roll didn't go unnoticed but Randy was more concerned with Avery, "You have a minute?"

"Sure," she excused herself from her friends, patting Paige on the head before making her way over to him. He turned, leading her away to a quiet corner.

"Paige and I had to do those creepy kiss card things," she explained, rubbing her chin just under her bottom lip. "My lips hurt. I was trying to explain my pain to Col."

"Sounds like fun," he smirked, leaning against the wall. He looked her over, "I heard about last night. How are you doing?"

She sighed, her hazel orbs rolling up toward the ceiling. He was taken aback by the response.

"I'm sorry," she reached out, lightly rubbing his arm. "I've just been asked that about a thousand times today. Apparently, someone from the hotel leaked the story last night and I just can't get away from it."

"Yeah, I saw it on Twitter," he explained. Whoever gave the information had also made sure to say that Jon was there with her, a fact that he wanted to ask about but he decided to hold off. "Why didn't you call?"

"Because I was okay," she shrugged. "Nothing too serious happened so I didn't see any reason to bother you with it. The hotel coordinated with our security here. It's all over."

She was so flippant about it that he felt a little silly for even asking. He just thought it was kind of weird that he didn't find out from her.

"I can have someone go get all your stuff so you don't have to go back there," he offered.

She shook her head, "That won't be necessary. I'm good and we won't even be in the hotel much longer. Thank you for offering though."

"Well, you could stay in my room tonight," he offered.

"Now you're talking," she smiled up at him. "I think that's a great idea."

He smirked, "I was hoping you would."

* * *

Jon leaned against the ring apron while Paul and Vince spoke to the group. The participants in the main event had all been called to the ring to go over a few spots for the match as well as the finish. Once they were done, Vince dismissed everyone, heading backstage. Jon wanted to go find a place to lay down but Paul pulled him aside to talk.

"You look like shit," Paul chuckled, patting him on the shoulder.

"I keep hearin' that today," he rubbed the back of his neck. "I'm starting to get a complex. I'll be fine though, don't worry about it."

"I know you will," Paul said confidently. "I'm not worried. How does it feel to be the sole survivor?"

"I'll tell you once the match is over," Jon smirked. He was looking forward to having such a prominent spot but he tried not to get overly excited about anything. He didn't like to let anything get to his head. "I'm just ready for the show to get started."

"You and me both," Paul admitted. "This Sting spot has to be perfect."

Sting's first appearance on a WWE pay per view was monumental and Paul was understandably anxious about it. Everyone involved in the final match knew that they were being trusted with something special.

"Listen, the story about what happened with Avery last night is all over the place," Paul changed the subject. "Apparently one of the security guards at the hotel got chewed out and decided to leak the story."

"Doesn't seem like the best way to keep your job," Jon rolled his eyes.

"I don't understand it either," Paul said. "But I'm glad you were there last night and that you trusted your instincts. You did a good job."

"I did what I had to," Jon shrugged uncomfortably. He didn't want to make a big deal out of it.

"How's she doing?" Paul asked. "I only saw her for a minute earlier. She seemed okay but you know her better than most."

"I don't know, I haven't seen her," Jon shrugged. "She was a little shaken up last night but she got over it. Avery's tough. You don't have to worry about her. She'll forget about it before the rest of us do."

"Well, just keep an eye on her. You two are partners now, don't forget that," Paul patted him on the shoulder. "Let me know if you need anything."

* * *

Eva walked to hair and makeup after filming some particularly tense filming with Nattie and Brie. She was so tired of getting ganged up on by the other girls. It seemed like she never had an issue with just one person. Someone else was always chiming in and getting in her face. She was the only one who fought her battles alone. She hoped to find Trinity or Nikki getting ready for the show. She needed someone to talk to. Instead, she saw Avery sitting in a chair, having her hair braided. She had headphones in and didn't even look up from her phone when Eva came near. Eva crossed her arms, irritated. She was certain Avery had seen Randy but she hadn't even attempted to find her.

Eva tapped her foot, waiting as the last braid was finished. When the hair stylist tapped Avery on the shoulder, she pulled out her headphones, offering a big smile and a gracious thank you before getting up from the chair, winding her headphone cord around her hand. Eva was right in her path as she started to walk away. She brushed right past the redhead, not saying a word to her.

"Avery," Eva called out but the other woman simply kept walking.

"Seriously?" Eva huffed under her breath, following after her. "Avery!"

"Sorry, I'm in a rush," Avery looked over her shoulder before heading around the corner.

Eva sighed, "Of course you are."

* * *

Jon leaned against an equipment trunk with his hands shoved into his pockets. He was told by one of the social media people that they wanted to take a few pictures of him and Avery talking before the show. Why they needed to set up pictures of two people talking was beyond him but he wasn't a social media manager, he couldn't tell them how to do their job. Apparently Avery was getting her hair done so someone had to be sent to fetch her. Jon had offered to just meet her where she was but for some reason, that wasn't what they wanted.

"Sorry, sorry," her voice drew his attention and he looked up to see her following behind a production assistant. She walked toward them, clad in black denim shorts and a cropped version of her new t-shirt. Her white hair was tightly woven back into 2 braids with black leather wrapped at the ends. She gave him a casual smile but he could tell by how far away she stood that he wasn't the only one feeling a little awkward. This was their first time crossing paths all day.

"Okay guys, this will be really quick," the social media manager explained enthusiastically. "You just act natural. Talk to each other, we'll snap a few pics, and then you can be on your way."

Avery and Jon both nodded but all of a sudden Jon couldn't actual figure out how to act natural.

"What do you want us to talk about?" he asked.

"It's a picture, Jon, I don't think it matters," she laughed, putting her hands on her hips.

"The lady has a point," he laughed, blaming his cold for the dumb question.

"Sooo…." She looked down at her boot. She looked up at him, "Are you feeling better today?"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm good," he answered. "Took a lot of Mucinex."

"That's good," Avery nodded, leaning against the table behind her, crossing her legs at the ankle.

"Can you guys get closer?"

"Are we not close enough?" Avery waved at the space between them. "I think we both have a respectable amount of personal space."

"Yeah, it shouldn't look like you care about personal space. That's kind of the point."

Avery looked wary but Jon took a big step forward, knowing they needed to just get this over with. He stood close enough that she had lift her chin to look at his face.

"_Much_ better," the photographer approved.

Avery cleared her throat, looking like she was searching for something to say.

"Ready for your match tonight?" he asked.

"Uh..yeah," she answered. "How about you?"

"That's good," the photographer announced. "I got a great one. You two are all done. See? That wasn't hard."

Jon took a step back as the social media manager went off to bother someone else and the photographer sneakily snapped one more picture of them before leaving as well.

Avery became oddly fascinated with the hem of her shirt, holding it with both hands and staring down at it. Jon put his hands back into his pockets. He could just walk away but that didn't seem like the right course of action. It was only going to get weirder if one of them didn't say something.

"Do you have a minute to talk?" he asked.

"As long as we don't have to take any more pictures," she laughed, letting go of her shirt.

"I just thought we should maybe talk about last night," he shrugged.

She looked apprehensive but nodded, shifting on her feet, "Yeah, probably."

They both opened their mouths to speak but she shut hers quickly, gesturing for him to talk.

"Look, I'm sorry," he said. "We were just…we were both emotional and I was on cold meds and whiskey and barely had any idea what I was doing and-"

"It's okay," she assured him. "You're right. We were both out of sorts. It was a really weird night. I would love to just forget it ever happened. I mean nothing _actually_ happened but I think we should just forget that there was even a possibility that anything _could_ have happened and if you could say something and stop me from babbling that would be really cool."

"I'm with you," he chuckled, relieved that they didn't have to dwell on it. "Consider it forgotten."

"Good," she smiled.

"I heard security was circulating the picture of the guy from last night," he changed the subject.

"I'm sure he won't show up," Avery sighed. "I think you scared him enough."

"Good, I hope so," he said. He noticed her expression change and he felt stupid for bringing it up. Their near kiss wasn't the only thing that she wanted to forget about from that night. "Think of it this way, you know you're really over when you find out you have a creepy stalker."

She laughed hard, smacking him on the arm. He knew that was the kind of joke that would get her.

"I should go find Paige and Sara," she smiled. "Are you coming out after the show tonight?"

Quite a few people from the roster were heading to an after party once the show was over.

"I'm not sure yet," he answered. "Depends on how I'm feeling."

"Well if you're feeling okay, you should definitely come," she reached out, softly patting his arm. "I'll see you later."

He nodded, "I'll think about it."

* * *

Avery stood in gorilla, closing her eyes and listening to everything around her. They were airing a recap from the last Smackdown. Avery had pretended to want to apologize to J&amp;J in order to get them to leave The Authority's office. Later in the show, Seth Rollins went on a rampage declaring that his Money in the Bank briefcase was missing, only to see Dean Ambrose come out with it during the main event. Then, they aired the pre-tape Avery did with Stephanie earlier with Stephanie admonishing her for assisting Ambrose in stealing the briefcase. Avery insisted that she had no idea what Ambrose was up to and she just wanted to apologize to Jamie for hurting him but Stephanie called her on her bullshit, telling her that she was on thin ice and that it was time she learned to fall in line.

"You need to understand something Avery," Stephanie's voice boomed over her head. "The Authority can either make you…or _break_ you."

"I do understand that Stephanie," Avery replied. "But I'm hoping that after tonight, I'll never have to worry about The Authority again."

She snuck a peak out of the corner of her eye to look at the monitor beside her. The promo video for the Divas Championship match began to play. Avery felt a wave of excitement wash over her. This was going to be her first televised title match since coming up to the main roster. When she debuted on Raw, she was still the NXT Women's Champion. Her first night, she wrestled AJ Lee and nearly won but AJ grabbed her shorts for a narrow victory. Then, the original plan was a champion vs. champion match but Vince decided he wanted to keep the belt on AJ and didn't want either woman to suffer from losing to the other so the angle was scrapped and Brie was given a two month run at the title while Avery went back to NXT to lose her title to Charlotte and before returning to the main roster and a feud with former NXT rival Emma. She'd always been given something to do, she'd steadily been involved in angles since her debut but she was always just outside of the title picture despite fans clamoring for another match between her and AJ. Now, she was finally getting her title match and though working with AJ would have been fun, working with her best friend made it so much better, even if she had to lose. She'd found out that morning that the decision had finally been made and Paige was going over. Apparently, Vince, Paul, and the rest of the higher ups wanted to continue building anticipation for her eventual title win so Paige would win this time. They'd also been given 13 minutes. Only a handful of women's championship matches in recent history had been allowed more than 10. Paul explained that he fought hard to get them the time and Avery felt a lot of pressure to deliver. Fortunately, she always performed well under pressure.

She felt a hand clasp around hers and she opened her eyes again, looking over at Paige.

"Match of the night?" Paige smirked at her.

Avery nodded, bouncing on her heels when Paige's music started, "Match of the night."

* * *

11P.M.

Avery thanked the bartender, taking a sip from her vodka tonic as she turned and headed away from the crowded bar. The club was packed with the WWE crew and Avery felt for the staff. They didn't seem prepared for the amount of people or the volume of alcohol most of them were putting down. They were doing their best though. She was heading back toward the table when she saw Brie looking in her direction. The Bella twin was standing with her sister, Bryan, John, and Randy. Brie started frantically waving for her to come over and Avery eyed her for a moment, trying to determine whether or not she was drunk. Deciding she was willing to risk it, she headed toward the group.

Brie pulled her into a tight hug and Avery looked at Bryan who shrugged, shaking his head. She was definitely drunk.

"Hey," Randy smiled, draping an arm over her shoulders when Brie released her. He pulled her into his side. "I was wondering where you were."

"I was doing shots with Paige," she admitted, pointing over to the table where most of her friends were.

He chuckled, "Am I gonna have to carry you back to the hotel?"

"I'll be fine, don't you worry," she smirked, looping her arm around him. She didn't even have a buzz yet. She didn't need one. She was still riding a high from her match.

"I was looking for you earlier too," Bryan laughed.

"Uh oh, what for?" she narrowed her eyes. She'd often sought out Bryan to discuss her matches. He'd sat with her and watched tape many times.

"I just wanted to congratulate you," he gave her a sincere smile. "That was the best women's match this place has seen in years."

Avery had gotten a lot of compliments but it was especially satisfying to hear coming from him. They had put on one hell of a show. Avery pulled out moves she hadn't done since before she got signed. Paige changed up her game as well, having worked hard with Sara on adding to her move set. They worked their asses off and tried hard to tell a story and the fans were engaged and louder than they had been most of the night. When they came to the back after their match, everyone in gorilla, Vince McMahon included, was standing and clapping for them. Sara and Paul both hugged them and told them how proud they were. It was an experience she would never forget.

"Wow, thanks a lot," Brie feigned offense, glaring at her husband.

"Yeah, what the hell Bryan?" Nikki teased.

"I stand by my statement," Bryan chuckled.

John and the twins both agreed with him and Randy squeezed her shoulder.

"Thank you, that means a lot," Avery smiled, taking a drink to cover up her cheesy smile. "The only thing I would change was the finish."

"Well you couldn't help that," Bryan assured her. "Believe me. I've been in that position plenty of times."

She'd tried to fight with Paul over it but Vince didn't want her to lose clean and there was no fighting with Vince. So J&amp;J came out toward the end of the match and Avery got 'distracted' arguing with Jamie who insisted that they were sent by The Authority for her protection. While she and the referee were caught up with Jamie, Joey slid Paige the Divas Championship belt and then Avery got clobbered with it while the ref was still facing Jamie. Then, Paige dropped the belt and executed the RamPaige on top of it before pushing it out of the ring and getting the pin. In Avery's opinion, it was a really shitty ending to an otherwise good match.

"I just hate distraction finishes," Avery shook her head. "I don't know why we're all supposed to seem like cats that get distracted by a floating feather."

"Just be glad Vince didn't want you to lose clean," Randy advised. "Then you know he cares about making you look good."

"That is a good point. And it's not _that_ bad," Bryan laughed. "Floating feathers are pretty distracting if you really think about it."

* * *

Jon slid his shot glass back onto the table, shaking off the sting of the whiskey shot Jamie Noble had just insisted he take. He wasn't sure what his shot count was but he knew he was feeling good and his nose wasn't stopped up anymore. His hand was covered in booze after Jamie spilled most of his shot during their toast so he headed to the bathroom, shaking his head at the ridiculously long line for the ladies room. He was able to walk right into the men's room, take care of business, and walk out before the women had moved at all. Out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of a flash of white. He turned, finding a side exit, the door slowly closing. He walked over, catching the door before it shut all the way, leaning out into the cool night air. He took a step out and, as he expected, found Avery standing outside, looking up at the sky.

"Hey," he called out to her.

She turned with an amused look in her eye, raising an eyebrow at him, "Yes?"

"You shouldn't be out here by yourself," he held the door open.

"Why not?"

He gave her a look and she rolled her eyes, "Oh come on. You're being silly. It's too stuffy in there. I'm fine."

"You got accosted by a crazy fan not 24 hours ago and _I'm_ silly to think you should be careful?"

She giggled, "Yes. You're being silly."

He could tell from the sound of her laughter that she was a little buzzed.

"Will you just get your ass back in here?" he pointed.

"If you're so concerned, why don't you come out here and be my babysitter?" she suggested.

He could see that she wasn't going to listen to him. She was stubborn sober but with booze in her, she was impossible. He walked all the way out, allowing the door to close behind him.

She smiled triumphantly when he stood beside her, leaning against the wall. He pulled out a cigarette, slipping it between his lips and digging into another pocket for his lighter. He didn't smoke as much as he used to but when he drank enough, he always got a hankering for a smoke or two. Before he could find the lighter, Avery reached up, plucking the cigarette from his lips and flicking it away.

"Woman, you know those things aren't free," he frowned.

"Bill me for it," she leaned against the wall beside him, looking quite proud of her actions. She never did approve of him smoking.

It was a beautiful night out and they were both quiet, enjoying the cool breeze. He considered trying for another cigarette but he wouldn't put it past her to throw that one away too, so he decided against it. He looked over at her, finding her with her eyes closed, leaning her head back. She had small dark bruise marring the smooth skin of her cheek.

She opened her left eye and he turned away quickly turning his focus to a dumpster down the alley, hoping she didn't catch him staring.

"So that match tonight," he crossed his arms. "You did good kid."

Her bright smile lit up her whole face, "You really liked it?"

"You two stole the show," he answered. "I watched every minute of it. Almost everybody did."

"Too bad you and fucking Sting had to steal our thunder," she smirked.

She wasn't wrong. Avery and Paige had the best one on one match of the night by a mile but the moment of Sting coming out as the deciding factor in the main event was the biggest thing that happened on the show. Jon was honored to be in the middle of it.

"What do you think tomorrow night is gonna be like?" she asked excitedly. "I mean, where's this thing with us is supposed to go? They sold us on this _war_ between us and The Authority and now The Authority is gonna be gone."

Jon was curious about the very same thing. No one had really filled either of them in on what would be happening on Raw. He knew The Authority would be back sooner rather than later but he didn't know what the plan was in the meantime. The bright light of Avery's phone screen drew his attention but, much to his surprise, she looked at it briefly and then hit ignore, tucking the phone into her back pocket.

"So? Come on, you have to have some ideas," she crossed her arms, waiting for him to say something.

He smiled, glad to know he had her full attention, "Yeah, I may have a couple."

* * *

Nikki leaned close to the mirror, touching up her mascara and trying not to jab herself in the eye while Nattie told her some ridiculous story about her cats. The bathroom door banged open and Eva walked in, rifling around in her purse. She made a huffy noise, dropping her bag onto the counter.

Nattie looked over at Nikki and bugged her eyes out before turning and walking out. Nikki was tempted to get the hell out of dodge as well but Eva seemed to have had a bug up her ass all day and Nikki felt that it was her duty to check in on the other woman.

"Are you alright?" Nikki put her mascara away.

"Yeah, why?" Eva's response was snippy as she pulled out a tube of lip gloss.

"You've been in a terrible mood," Nikki shrugged. "Do you want to talk about it? Is everything okay with Jonathan?"

"Of course, it has nothing to do with him," Eva answered, applying the nude colored gloss to her lips.

Nikki waited for her to continue but, of course, she didn't. Eva was one of those people who made you work for it. She liked attention too much to just say what was wrong without prodding.

"Okay so if it isn't that, then what is it?"

"Why don't you ask your friend Avery?" Eva asked, running her hands through her hair.

Nikki rolled her eyes, "What now?"

"I asked to talk to her and she completely blew me off," Eva explained. "I'm supposed to be going to her for help and she couldn't possibly care less."

Nikki frowned, "That doesn't sound like her. Maybe it's not what you think."

"Or maybe you don't know her as well as you think," Eva crossed her arms.

Nikki was certain that Eva was misinterpreting something. She wasn't under the illusion that her friend was some kind of angel but she was confident that Avery wouldn't blatantly ignore Eva when Paul had specifically asked her to assist the redhead. It just didn't make sense.

This tension between Avery and Eva needed to be squashed before it got worse. Nikki pulled her phone out, sending Avery a text that she knew would get her attention right away.

"What are you doing?" Eva asked, looking at herself in different angles in the mirror.

"Damage control," Nikki explained. "Just stay here."

Eva looked annoyed but she stayed, crossing her arms over her chest.

Less than a minute later, the door slammed open and Avery rushed in, looking concerned, "What's going on?"

"Can I borrow your lipstick?" Nikki smiled sweetly at her.

"Nicole," Avery glared at her. "Are you okay?"

The brunette nodded.

"We are going to have a _serious_ talk about when it's okay to text 911," Avery pointed, pulling a lipstick tube out of her pocket and shoving it at her.

"Technically it was _sort_ _of_ an emergency," Nikki shrugged. "I wanted the two of you to talk."

Avery shot a confused look over at Eva and then turned back to Nikki, "Talk about _what_?"

"Eva, now would be a good time for you to speak up."

Eva sighed, rolling her eyes, "Nikki wants us to talk about how you blew me off earlier."

Avery's features twisted, "What? When did I blow you off?"

"I told Randy that I needed to talk to you and you never found me. Then when I finally did see you, you totally brushed me off," Eva said.

Nikki frowned. She knew there was some part that Eva hadn't shared.

"Randy didn't tell me you wanted to talk to me," Avery said, her tone clipped.

Eva made a face and Nikki could see Avery growing more annoyed, "You don't believe me? I'll drag him in here right now."

Eva sighed, putting her hands on her hips, "Well I thought he told you."

"Well he didn't," Avery snipped. "And I saw you in the locker room before I got dressed. If you needed to talk to me about something, why didn't you just talk then? I was at the arena _all day_, why not just come find me yourself instead of asking someone else to tell me?"

"I told you, I assumed Randy told you I wanted to talk."

"Exactly. That is your mistake. If you want to talk to me about something, then come up to me and speak for yourself," Avery instructed.

"I'm speaking to you directly now," Eva glared.

"See, actually, you're not," Avery pointed out. "Nikki texted me. You didn't."

"And this is why I don't try," Eva gestured to her. "You're attacking me because of a mistake."

"I'm _attacking_ you?" Avery tilted her head. "Seriously Eva?"

"I'm done," Eva snatched up her bag. "I'm not doing this."

Nikki tried to stop her but Eva stormed out, the door slamming shut behind her.

"Well that went well," Nicole sighed, looking over at Avery.

"What? That was not my fault," Avery insisted.

"You were a little hard on her," Nikki suggested.

"She's immature," Avery shrugged. "She's huffing and puffing about me 'ignoring' her but she never _actually_ tried to talk to me. And when I call her on it, what does she do? Storm out like a sullen teenager."

"She's intimidated," Nikki offered. "You can be intimidating as hell."

"Oh no I'm not," Avery scoffed. "I'm nice to people. I'm always willing to talk things out."

"That's not what I'm talking about," Nikki interjected. "Everyone hates on Eva for the path she took to get where she is. I know how that feels. You took the route that everyone respects. You have all this experience and you're _so good_ and everyone respects you. The fans complain that they don't see you enough. Meanwhile, everywhere Eva goes, people are chanting 'You Can't Wrestle' at her."

Avery crossed her arms, sighing.

"I've been where she is," Nikki said. "I still don't get the kind of respect you do. I know how it feels to want to do things you're just not able to do yet and to want so badly for people to just take you seriously. I just wish you could see things from that standpoint."

Avery leaned her head back and took a long, deep breath before speaking, "Okay. I will try to be nicer."

Nikki smiled gratefully. She wanted to fix this as much for Avery as she did for Eva. Paul still wanted her to help the other woman and she wouldn't be able to do it if they couldn't even attempt to get along. And tension in the locker room just bred more tension.

"But she's gotta toughen up," Avery insisted. "And grow up."

Nikki hugged the younger woman, "I will talk to her."

* * *

Randy leaned his back against the bar, looking around at the crowd of his coworkers. John and Bryan had relocated to a table, talking shop with Cody and Claudio. He'd lost sight of Avery a while earlier. Most likely to her friends, by far the rowdiest table in the place. When he scanned for her white hair, he found her sitting beside her conjoined twin, Paige, with Jon on her other side. Paige was whispering something into her ear and she was laughing so hard her cheeks were turning red. He didn't know if he'd be so relaxed just a day after having his privacy invaded the way she did. She just seemed so casual about the whole thing, like it hadn't even crossed her mind after it happened. He didn't want her walking around like some terrified shut in or anything but he expected her to seem like it had some effect. He figured she might need to lean on him for some kind of comfort but it was just the opposite. She was totally fine, sitting between her best friend and her ex without a care in the world.

Her ex, the one who had been her knight in shining armor the night before, reaching her before anything bad could happen. Was he the one who saw her real emotions? Did she let him in? Did he hold her and comfort her? Randy was certain all the alcohol he'd consumed in the last couple hours was to blame for this line of thinking. He needed to shake it off.

"You look confused," Mike Mizanin came over to him, sloshing his drink over his own hand. "And drunk."

"I am," he admitted. "Both."

"Well the drunk part is good. The confusion, not so much," Mike laughed. "What can I help you with?"

"You?" Randy laughed. "Not a thing."

"You're always such a jerk to me, but I'm still your friend," Mike pointed. "That should get me points."

Mike actually was a very good friend. And he was one of the few people that Randy knew would never take his sometimes prickly attitude personally. Mike just let everything roll off his back.

"I guess so," Randy agreed. He narrowed his eyes, turning his gaze back to Avery. "You heard about what happened with Avery last night, right?"

"Yeah, everyone heard about it."

"Do you think it's weird that she didn't call me?" he asked.

"She didn't call you?" Mike made a face.

"So that's a yes," Randy laughed.

Mike shook his head, "This is a classic girl move."

"I'm sorry?"

"Come on, Randy, you know how women can be," Mike said. "Nothing is ever as it seems. They always have an angle."

Randy didn't believe that was _always_ true but he was interested to hear what ridiculous explanation Mike had for his statement.

"So what exactly is her angle here?" he smirked, taking a sip of his drink.

"She obviously wants a commitment from you," Mike said, his speech beginning to slur. "This is what women do. She's making it obvious that she doesn't want to rely on you so it will make you want to be more reliable. _Classic_ female mind fuck."

Randy chuckled, "You really are a moron, Mizanin."

* * *

"Chug! Chug! Chug! Chug!"

Jon laughed, looking over at Avery as she slapped the table, chanting at Joe and Win. He wasn't sure how the competition started but they were both downing their third pint of beer. Jon and Avery had just come inside when they were ordering all the beers, then she had rushed off to help Nikki with something. When she came back, Win and Joe were starting to take bets. She'd dropped into the seat right next to him.

Windham finished first and Avery jumped up, high fiving him. Jon took a moment to look around, seeing that the crowd had thinned some while they were outside. He had no idea what time it was. He didn't wear a watch and his phone had been dead before they even got to the bar. He didn't know how long they were out there. They got into talking about all of their ideas for their angle and the only reason they came inside was because the temperature dropped and she got too cold.

"How the hell did you beat me?" Joe asked Windham, using his sleeve to wipe his face.

"Pure skill, my friend," Windham laughed, patting him on the shoulder.

Jon noticed Joe's expression quickly change. He went from laughing with Win to a tightly clenched jaw and narrowed eyes. Jon turned around to see what he was looking at and saw Randy heading their way.

Randy stopped behind Avery's chair, not bothering to acknowledge anyone else. Avery didn't even know he was there until he put his hand on her back. She jumped, turning around sharply, relaxing and offering a smile when she saw him.

He said something but Jon couldn't hear it over everyone else talking and Avery couldn't seem to hear it either. Randy leaned down, placing his hand on the table, his arm separating Avery and Jon.

"It's getting late," he spoke loudly. "We should head back to the hotel."

"It's not that late, is it?" she sounded surprised.

"It is. It's gonna be last call soon," Randy answered.

"And the after party is in our room!" Summer exclaimed, roughly pushing Aaron's shoulder.

Avery looked over at Summer and then back to Randy.

"Doesn't look like she wants to go right now," Joe gave Randy a steely look.

"I don't remember asking you," Randy smiled at him and Jon sighed, knowing this could escalate quickly.

Avery stood up quickly, "You know what, he's right. I'm not quite ready to go yet. I'll Uber back to the hotel with Paige."

Randy didn't look pleased but Avery touched his arm, subtly biting her bottom lip and smiling, "I'll see you in the morning."

Jon knew that look. She used it to get her way and it always worked.

Randy seemed to relax, leaning forward and planting a kiss on her lips, "I'll see you in the morning then. Don't get into any trouble."

Randy made his exit with a few sets of eyes on his back. Avery turned back to the table, "I'm gonna go order shots before last call."

"I'll come with you," Joe offered, standing up to follow her.

Jon watched as they went, knowing they were probably going to bicker about the way Joe treated Randy. Joe and Avery were friends but they'd always bickered like children. Once the shots were ordered, the turned to face each other and Jon could tell they were arguing. He didn't feel any need to mediate. They'd all learned that it was better to just let them work it out on their own. They always made up quickly.

"Snap out of it," Win snapped his fingers in front of Jon's face.

Jon turned to his friend, "You do that again and I'll break 'em."

Windham chuckled, "You were staring. I was only trying to help."

"Staring at what?"

Windham looked amused, "I think you know exactly what I'm talking about. What were you two doin' together outside for so long?"

"Talking," Jon answered. "About work."

"That's all?"

"What the hell else would we have been doing?" Jon laughed.

"I don't know but I'm curious," Win shrugged. "Paige said you two seemed pretty close when she got to the hotel last night."

"Nothing happened," Jon responded sharply. He should've known Paige would say something. He was actually surprised she hadn't asked him about it yet.

He spoke too quickly and Win was on it like a bloodhound, "I didn't say anything did. But now I think maybe that's why you've been in such a mood all day."

"I've been in a mood because I'm sick," Jon insisted. "Stop projecting."

"How exactly am I projecting?" Windham questioned

"Do you not remember getting completely trashed and telling me and Avery how special we are together?" he smirked.

"I have a vague memory of that," Win admitted. "But I feel like you're just trying to change the subject."

"There is no subject," Jon insisted. "Nothing happened. Nothing will. Just...let it go."


	18. Body Language

**_Posting very late so I apologize if there are errors. I just wanted to get the updates posted. Read, Enjoy, and Review!_**

_Monday_**…**

Avery's eyes felt like they were glued shut. She was beginning to wake up but she just couldn't will them to open. She felt something nudge the back of her head and she pushed herself up, startled, eyelids finally coming undone. Her cheek was throbbing. She didn't have to look in the mirror to know the small bruise she got from Paige hitting her with the championship belt had gotten much worse. It was her own fault. She didn't get her hands up.

She was lying across the foot of her bed. She only knew it was hers because Paige always made her take the bed closest to the door. She turned to see what touched her head and found Paige sound asleep. She yawned, plopping back down face first into the bundled up sheet she'd used as a pillow. She wasn't ready to get up yet. She was tired as hell and quite possibly still drunk. Summer wasn't kidding about the after party in her room. Their group headed there right after the club. Someone stopped at a liquor store and bought a bunch of bottles. The last thing Avery could remember was Paige trying to arm wrestle Win. She had no recollection of how they got back to their room.

Just as she was drifting back to sleep, the Rugrats theme woke her. She groaned into the bedsheet, no idea where her phone was.

Paige grumbled, smacking at the bed beside her. She nudged the side of Avery's head with her foot.

"Stop it," Avery smacked at her friend's leg.

"Wake up and answer your stupid phone then," Paige groaned, finally locating the buzzing item. She tossed it down and Avery caught it just before it hit her face.

"You are a monster when you're hung over," Avery accused. Paige responded by angrily fluffing her pillow.

Rubbing her tired eyes, Avery unlocked her phone and went to her call log. She had a missed call from Amanda in PR.

She dialed her voicemail number and once she entered her pin, she closed her eyes again, putting the phone on speaker and dropping it near her head.

She was barely listening, something about changing around two of her appearances. She knew she would get a follow up email so she didn't listen carefully.

"And one more thing," Amanda's chipper voice continued. "The WWE will be covering Muscle and Fitness and Muscle and Fitness Hers magazines. You and Colby have been chosen for the covers. I'll give you more of the details when I see you this evening. I hope you're excited. I'll see you soon!"

Avery was awake after that piece of news. She smiled, ending the voicemail call, "Did you hear that P?"

"Look at you cover girl," Paige chuckled. She smacked her on the butt, "No more nights like last night for a while. I think you drank your body weight in beer."

Avery groaned, not at the thought of how much she drank but at the realization that she wasn't going to be able to eat anything fun for weeks.

"I'm not excited anymore," she pouted.

"It's okay babe," Paige laughed. "I'll do it with you. The food part, not the alcohol part. You're on your own there."

Avery rolled over onto her back, giggling, "Thanks Crumpet."

"This is a big deal," Paige smiled. "I'm so proud of you."

"Me?" Avery laughed. "Do I need to remind you which one of us is the owner of that prestigious butterfly monstrosity over there?"

They both agreed that the Divas Championship belt was tragically hideous but it was still a huge symbol of success and it currently belonged to Paige.

"I guess I'm not doing too bad for myself," Paige smirked, brushing off her shoulder.

Her phone started ringing again and Paige swiped it before Avery could get it.

"Oh look who it is," Paige made a face, turning the screen so Avery could see Randy's name.

Avery held her hand out but Paige tossed the phone onto the other bed.

"Are you serious?" Avery laughed. She went to get up and then it was confirmed: she was definitely still drunk. The whole floor shifted beneath her feet.

"Dibs on the shower!" she shouted, deciding calling Randy back would have to wait. She needed to get herself together first.

* * *

Jon leaned his head back, wishing he could make his sunglasses darker. He was in the backseat of Colby's rental, half listening as Colby talked to Amanda from PR. She'd just called to inform him that he and Avery were getting magazine covers.

More power to them. Jon hated photo shoots. They always went on for way too long. There weren't that many ways to take a damn picture. Colby was excited though and Jon was happy for his friend.

Colby's phone started ringing again and Joe sighed, "Will you turn that shit down please?"

Colby was clearly the only one not suffering any of symptoms of a hangover.

"Hey, Av," Colby answered his phone, speaking at a much louder volume than necessary. "You're on speaker."

"Hey," Avery's voice was cheerful but raspier than usual. "What are you doing?"

"On our way to breakfast," he explained. "Joe and Jon are here. What are you doing?"

"Eating delicious and fattening room service," she answered. "Paige was too lazy to get up and I didn't think I could pass a breathalyzer."

Jon wasn't surprised. The two of them shut down the after party. He and Colby had to make sure they got to their room safely and it was not easy. Avery relatively tame, having only demanded a piggy back ride from Colby, but Paige kept trying to throw her shoes down the hallway and hit several doors before Jon confiscated them.

"I don't know about you but I intend to pig out for the rest of the day today before I have to starve myself for this magazine cover."

"Congrats A-Town," Joe grumbled.

She thanked him and Colby laughed, "You don't need to starve yourself. Stop being stupid. You know Grammie isn't about to let you skip Thanksgiving dinner."

"_Oh God_, you're right," she sighed. "I keep forgetting about Thanksgiving."

"You think you can get your grandmother to save me a plate?" Joe asked. They'd all been treated to Dixie's cooking before and everyone who'd tried it went back for more.

"I'll see what I can do," Avery laughed. "Col, do you want to do dinner together on Saturday before we have to crack down and chisel our physiques?"

Colby chuckled, "Yeah, dinner Saturday sounds great."

Jon listened as they figured out the specifics of their plan. He didn't want to admit it but he felt a sliver of envy at the relationship they had developed. They were always talking and texting. They had all of these inside jokes and stories about times the went off on their own. He was beginning to feel like his relationship with Avery had been the only thing keeping them from being such great friends.

"I didn't hear an invitation for either of us," Joe teased.

"That's because there wasn't one," Avery quipped. "This is Colby and Avery time. You're not included."

"Yeah, you can't sit with us," Colby joked.

"Alright, Paige is eyeballing my food. I gotta go. Congratulations! I'll see you later."

The call ended quickly and Colby put his phone down.

"Shit, I wasn't kidding about that plate," Joe spoke. "I need to get Grammie's number."

Jon looked down at his own phone. He actually had Dixie and Eli's number. Dixie herself was the one who put it in his phone. It took her a few tries because she wasn't big on technology but she was insistent on doing it herself. She also put her birthday in his calendar and told him if he ever forgot to call she'd 'tan his hide'. Threats of violence aside, the Ingram's were the most welcoming people Jon had ever met. He remembered being nervous when Avery took him to meet them the first time. It had been a long time since he'd met the family of the person he was dating. He could vividly recall standing at the door, shaking out his arms while Avery laughed at him. Then the door swung open and before he knew it he was being swept into two of the tightest hugs he'd ever felt. Dixie and Eli had a warmth about them that just couldn't be matched. They made him feel like part of the family.

"What _are_ you guys doing for Thanksgiving?" Colby asked.

"I'm probably just gonna get a pizza or something," Jon shrugged. He hadn't given the holiday much thought. His family wasn't exactly close and he'd spent the last couple years' worth of holidays with the Ingrams.

"Come on, you can't do that," Colby frowned. "You can always come home with me and the fam."

"I'm not going to Iowa in November if I'm not getting paid for it," Jon scoffed. "I fucking hate the cold."

"Then you can come with me to my uncle's," Joe said. "You can't complain about the cold in Florida. And you're family. You're always welcome."

Jon shrugged, "I'll think about it."

* * *

Nikki nearly tripped over a prone body when she walked into the locker room. She braced herself on the wall to keep from falling, frowning down at a sleeping Paige.

"Seriously?" Nikki shouted angrily as Paige stirred, slowly sitting up. "What are you doing?"

"I was trying to get some more sleep," Paige grumbled, pulling off her sunglasses.

"On the floor?" Nikki spat. "Who does that? Do you have any idea how gross this floor probably is?"

"I can assure you, I have slept in worse places," Paige smirked, pulling herself up and brushing off the back of her sweatpants.

Nikki rolled her eyes. She liked Paige. She genuinely did, but she just didn't understand her sometimes. She just didn't behave like an adult. Nikki wasn't a saint, she'd dealt with many a hangover in her time but she didn't sleep them off on the floor at work.

"You're lucky it was just me," Nikki insisted. "What would Stephanie think if she came in here and found you on the floor smelling like whiskey?"

"I do not smell like whiskey, Nicole. I took a shower," Paige crossed her arms. "And please keep your voice down. My head is killing me."

"Your head is killing you because you drank a bar out of Jack Daniels last night," Nikki grabbed a bottle of water and twisted off the top, handing it to the younger woman.

"They did run out of Jack, didn't they?" Paige smiled proudly before taking a long drink.

Nikki grabbed her gym shoes and shook her head in disbelief. She understood that now wasn't her time but looking at Paige in that moment, she could not even begin to understand why the decision had been made to put the belt on her. This was not the way a representative of the company should present herself.

Paige had a lot to say about who could or couldn't go in the ring but all the talent in the world was useless if you didn't know how to act. Nikki had been relegated to a match on Superstars and yet Paige was on Raw every week.

"I gotta get to makeup," Nikki sighed. "You should come too, you look like the dead."

Paige curled up in a chair, balling up a sweatshirt and putting it under her head, "I think I'm just gonna try to get a little more sleep."

* * *

Jon plopped down, dropping a plate down in front of him. He didn't even know why he was eating. He couldn't actually taste anything. He felt increasingly awful as the day went on. The only good part of his day was plotting the different ways he was going to kill Joe for saddling him down with this stupid virus. He was texting him the ideas as they came to him. Waterboarding. Disembowelment. Suffocation.

Joe just kept texting back _Love you too bro_.

Jon pushed the food around on his plate, looking around the room. A few of the girls were being filmed at a table in the corner. He heard from Paige that this would be the last night of Total Divas filming for a while, which was great news. They had enough cameras and equipment backstage on any given day, having an extra production crew was a nuisance. At another table, Cody, Miz, and Kofi were having a very animated conversation about the right way to make macaroni and cheese. A few tables away, Nattie, TJ, and Claudio were seated together. Nattie was talking but neither man looked all that interested in what she was saying. Claudio was frowning down at his food while TJ seemed to be playing a game on his phone. Without excusing himself, Claudio got up from the table, throwing away what was left on his plate. Nattie looked deeply offended that he was leaving and TJ's eyes never left his phone. Claudio turned to head out but he stalled suddenly, an apprehensive look coloring his face.

Avery was strolling in, looking down at her phone and chatting with Summer. When Summer saw Claudio in their path, she looked alarmed and quickly got out of dodge, scurrying over to the other girls. Avery looked up from her phone, making a face and shaking her head at the blonde. Not paying attention to where she was walking, she bumped right into Claudio. Jon didn't know why the idiot didn't just move out of the way. He obviously saw her coming and she didn't see him. She stumbled back and quickly apologized. She tried to say something else but Claudio simply nodded, walking around her and out of the room.

That certainly wasn't the type of interaction he was used to seeing. Where were the obnoxious tickle fights and all the unnecessary hugging?

When he left, Avery let her head fall back and rolled her eyes in the way she always did when she wasn't getting her way. There was more to her expression than her usual pouting though. She seemed genuinely upset.

"Matthews," he called out, drawing her eye to him. He gestured to the empty chairs surrounding him and she walked over, taking a seat and unceremoniously dropping her phone onto the table. He laughed, "Well hey there Sunshine."

She gave him a big, almost painfully fake smile, resting her elbow on the table and her chin on her hand.

"So what was that about?" he glanced out the door.

She raised an eyebrow, giving him a deeply skeptical look.

"What's that for?"

"We both know you don't actually want me to answer that," she spoke.

"I'm asking aren't I?" he challenged her.

"_Why_ are you asking?" she narrowed her eyes.

"Because I'm sort of your friend and you look unhappy," he answered. "I thought you might want to talk about it."

Her expression softened and she sighed, looking down at the table. He understood her apprehension. His feelings about Claudio were no secret and he didn't feel bad about them. Still, he didn't like seeing her upset.

He rested his chin on his own hand, leaning closer to her face, "Come on. What's going on?"

She laughed at the awkward closeness and her shoulders relaxed as she sat back in her seat, "Claudio isn't speaking to me."

_Maybe you put his leash on too tight?_

He was glad he managed to keep that thought inside, "Why?

He was certain he already knew the answer. Claudio had been a moody jerk since everyone found out about Avery seeing Randy but Jon just figured that he was still kissing Avery's ass and trying to change her mind. It hadn't occurred to him that Claudio would ice her out.

She shrugged, "Ever since you found out about me and Randy and decided to tell everyone, thanks for that by the way, he's been avoiding me. I don't really know the _exact_ reason because he won't speak to me. No calls, texts, nothing."

"Oh come on Avery," he laughed.

"What?" she asked innocently.

"Don't play dumb. You're a smart woman. You understand people. You know exactly why he's being like that," he said. "You picked someone else over him. Again. And now he's pouting about it."

"He's hurt. He's not pouting," she defended.

"Jesus, he really can't do anything wrong in your eyes, can he?" Jon asked. She pathologically defended Claudio.

"I don't think he's wrong for having feelings," she explained. "If he's hurt, I'm not gonna say he's doing something bad. I should have told him."

"Why?" Jon asked. "You don't owe him anything."

"I should have known it would bother him," she said. "I just wasn't thinking about it."

"Because you didn't have to," he reminded her. "You weren't together. Hell, if this is how he's acting then you're barely even friends."

"What is that supposed to mean?" she cocked her head, narrowing her eyes. She looked perturbed but she didn't get up and storm off so that certainly showed some progress between them.

"I just don't think he's as good a friend as you think he is," Jon shrugged. "And I think you should prepare yourself for the possibility that you can't be friends the way you used to be."

"Because of Randy?"'

"Because of any guy," Jon laughed. "Maybe he just can't be your friend anymore without the possibility of something more."

"He's been my friend for years," she argued.

"Yeah but now he's been to the mountain top-"

"Did you just refer to my vagina as a mountain top?" she laughed.

He hadn't really thought about it before he said it but that was pretty much what he meant. It was a phenomenal place. He knew it well.

"It's okay. It's a compliment I guess," she shrugged.

He rolled his eyes, "My point is that it sounds like he's not gonna be able to go back to how things were before."

She sighed, "That's what I'm scared of. I just feel like I made this massive mistake with him, you know?"

He wasn't really sure how to respond to that. Obviously _he_ was going to think it was a mistake. Claudio was the man who had taken a hammer to the wedge already forming between Jon and Avery. He took pleasure in the two of them splitting up.

She looked up at him, "This is getting too weird for you, isn't it?"

"A little, yeah," he admitted.

"Got it, subject dropped," she declared, putting her hands up. She gave him a warm smile, "Thanks for trying though."

"Anytime," he winked at her. "For anything else. Maybe just no more talk about Claudio."

"Deal," she laughed, holding up her hand and wiggling her pinky finger at him. "I promise."

He hooked his pinky around hers, "Now you're locked in."

She rested her chin on her other hand, their pinkies still linked, "I think I can handle it."

Summer's loud laughter distracted both of them and they turned to see what was going on behind them. Aaron had come in and was holding court with the ladies at the Total Divas table. Summer was sitting on his lap.

"Who saw _that_ coming, right?" Jon chuckled, finally unwinding their fingers.

"Aaron and Summer?" she looked incredulous. "She's had a crush on him since forever. He's just been too dense to notice. You men are not very perceptive."

"Oh that's not fair," he argued. Though he'd honestly had no idea about Summer's thing for Aaron. "Women waste time trying to be subtle. They get scared to go after what they want."

"Not all women," she bristled. "You know I'm not like that."

She certainly wasn't. Avery was assertive and commanding. She was never afraid to voice what she wanted or how she was feeling.

"Yeah but you're weird," he shrugged.

"Maybe," she smirked. "But I don't get any complaints."

* * *

"Her dress alone costs six thousand dollars," Mike complained. "Why spend that much money on a dress that she's only going to wear one time?"

"The whole purpose of a wedding is to spend an insane amount of money on one day that you'll barely remember in twenty years," Randy teased. "If you even make it that long."

"Are you wishing divorce on me before I even get married?" Mike frowned. "What kind of friend are you?"

Randy laughed and tried to reassure his friend. If Mizanin had half a brain he wouldn't let that relationship end in divorce. Maryse was already too good for him.

"Listen, just give her whatever she wants and don't argue too much," Randy advised. "That's the only way to get through wedding planning alive."

"Even when what she wants is ridiculous?" Mike questioned.

"Especially then," Randy nodded. "Trust me. If it's really that ridiculous, she'll figure it out on her own and you'll look like a good guy for supporting her."

"I'm not sure if that's good advice or not but I'm gonna take it because I don't know what else to do," Mike shrugged. Randy felt something hit his shoulder and he turned, seeing Claudio walking in the opposite direction.

"What the hell is his problem?" Randy frowned. He thought he'd been imagining the hostility coming toward him from the other man but he'd definitely just been shoulder checked. A few years earlier, Randy would have followed him and punched him in the back of the head. Fortunately, he was older and wiser. And slightly more fearful of suspension.

"You're joking, right?" Mike laughed.

"No, I'm serious. What's his problem?" Randy repeated. "Do you know?"

"You know the rumors about him and Avery, right?" Mike asked.

Randy slowly shook his head. He didn't give a shit about rumors that didn't involve him. Frankly, he barely even cared about those.

Mike stopped walking, looking at Randy like a PTA mom that couldn't wait to share a juicy tidbit, "So I've always thought they were really tight. You know, like, a little _too_ tight. Well _I_ heard that Avery slept with Claudio and that was what led to her and Ambrose breaking up."

Randy did remember John saying that both parties claimed the other had cheated. He supposed that could explain why he seemed to have drawn Claudio's ire.

"If you've got heat with Claudio, I bet that's why," Mike suggested.

Randy cast another glance over his shoulder but Claudio was gone.

"Did she tell you anything about what went down?" Mike asked, his curiosity obviously piqued.

"No," Randy answered. "I asked once but she didn't really say."

"Which means it's probably true," Mike laughed.

"If it is, it's none of my business," Randy put his hands up. He couldn't say he'd never cheated before. He didn't have room to judge.

"Yeah but you want to know, right?" Mike asked. "I mean, _I_ wanna know."

"Because you're a gossip," Randy reminded his friend as they continued their trek to catering. It didn't take long to spot Avery in the large crowded room. She was sitting at a table with Jon Good, resting her chin on her hand and giggling at something he said. Jon spotted Randy quickly and his expression turned smug. He smiled, waving.

"You okay with that?" Mike tapped him on the arm.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Randy asked, putting his hands in his pockets. "She's a grown woman. She can talk to whoever she wants to. Besides, that kid bas a much bigger problem with me than I ever will with him."

* * *

1 Hour Later…

Avery looked at herself in the mirror, trying to frown. She'd just finished getting her hair and makeup done and her hair was in such a tight ponytail she looked like she'd just gotten a face lift. She couldn't move her forehead but her eyebrows looked amazing.

"You look like your stomach hurts," Jon popped up behind her, tugging her ponytail.

"Funny, I only look like that when you're around," she teased, smacking his hand away from her hair.

"You sweet talkin' woman," he smiled.

"What are you doing here?" she asked, adjusting the hem of her shorts. "You want one of the ladies to take care of your clown nose?"

The skin around his nose was bright pink, rubbed raw from being so sick.

"I could cover that up in no time," one of the makeup artists piped up over Avery's shoulder.

"It's not that bad is it?" he asked, wincing when he touched his own nose. She laughed, pointing at the mirror. He turned, frowning at himself.

"Don't worry," Avery patted him on the shoulder. "The girls will still love you."

"You're damn right they will," he said, punctuating his sentence with a particularly unflattering coughing fit.

"Good Lord," Avery shook her head, pulling a chair closer and guiding him down into it. She grabbed a bottle of water from the counter and twisted off the top, handing it to him and patting his shoulder. She hated seeing anyone sick, probably had something to do with being raised by a nurse. She always went into caretaker mode, even if she didn't really want to.

"Please tell me you don't have a match tonight," she crouched in front of him when he finally stopped coughing.

"I do but a quick one," he answered, looking up at her hand when she pressed it to his forehead. "What are you doin' here, kiddo?"

"You have a fever," she stood back up. "You should have one of the doctors check you out. You probably need an antibiotic."

"I don't need a doctor, Florence Nightingale, I just need some sleep and some orange juice or something," he argued.

She rolled her eyes, "Don't be a baby. Just go get some pills."

"I appreciate the concern," he said, clearing his throat. "I'm fine. No need to worry about me."

"I'm not worried about you, I'm worried about myself," she smirked. "We have to work together. I don't need you getting me sick."

"That does make more sense," he wagged a finger at her.

"Jon, Avery," Mark Carano approached. "Just the two people I was looking for."

Jon leaned back in his chair, "Well here we are."

Avery was tempted to tell Mark that Jon needed to see a doctor and his match should be called off but she couldn't do it. He wouldn't do it to her. Tattling to the bosses was a line that could not be crossed.

"What's up?" Avery asked, standing beside Jon's chair.

"First off, you were both fantastic last night," Mark began. "Everyone was really impressed."

He looked at Jon's face, "How are you feeling?"

"Fantastic," Jon grinned through the obvious lie.

"I'm gonna choose to believe that's true," Mark carried on. "I wanted to let you know that picture of you two from last night got more likes on Instagram than any other picture we've posted in the last week. Except for Sting, of course."

"Fucking Sting," Avery grumbled as she crossed her arms, shaking her head. "Beat me again."

"I don't get it," Jon said. "Why do I care if a bunch of people liked a picture?"

Avery gave him an incredulous look. She'd tried many times to explain the importance of social media to him but he still just shrugged it off as a waste of time.

"You care because that means the fans are really behind the two of you as a couple, even though nothing significant has happened between the two of you yet. That's great news. That means we're definitely going in the right direction. If anything, we need to amp it up."

"Amp it up?" Avery warily asked.

"Tonight you two have a backstage segment in the first hour," Mark explained. That much Avery already knew. "Make it flirty, maybe a kiss on the cheek or something. Make it clear that there's an attraction there."

Avery narrowed her eyes at him, wondering if he realized that he sounded like a bit of a pimp. She looked over at Jon in his tight black t-shirt and jeans. It wasn't exactly impossible to pretend to be physically attracted to him, even with the red nose. She wasn't going to admit that though.

"You want me to kiss patient zero over here?" she jerked her thumb at him.

"On the cheek," Mark reminded her. "I also wanted to make a suggestion to you about your social media. We were thinking the interaction between the two of you should carry over onto social media. And since he refuses to even use Twitter or Instagram, we're thinking maybe you could snap a few pictures of the two of you together and start posting them."

"You want to kayfabe my Instagram?" Avery smirked, crossing her arms.

"Just a little," Mark laughed. "It's up to you but I think it would be a good idea."

"I just bet you do," Avery smirked. "I'll think about it."

* * *

Jon had tuned out of the conversation about Instagram or Twitter or whatever it was. He figured he would let Avery deal with it and tell him what he had to do later. He pulled out his phone, deciding it was time to tell Joe the new way he'd thought of to kill him.

_Rusty screwdriver to the_

"You didn't pay attention to any of that, did you?"

He looked up to annoyed look from his ex.

"I was listening," he lied.

"What was the last thing I said?" she challenged.

He opened his mouth to speak but decided against making something up.

"Not sure," he admitted.

"I thought so," she put her hands on her hips. "I'll fill you in later. We have to shoot our segment and then you're going to the doctor."

"Yes ma'am," he saluted her as she turned to lead him away. She was probably right about the doctor. His head was a little swimmy. He wasn't going to tell her that though. She would get too cocky. Once they were in the right hallway area and they were given the gist of what to say, he was told to go around the corner so the camera could get him walking. Once the camera was on, he shook his shoulders and turned on his game face. He didn't have time to be sick. He had work to do.

He walked back around the corner to where Avery stood talking to Nikki. Avery's back was to him and when Nikki saw him, a wide smile spread across her face and she tapped her friend, nodding in his direction. Avery turned to him he almost stopped. She had a way of smiling that could make a man feel like he was the only other person in the world. He hadn't seen that look in a while.

"Hey there," she smiled as he approached them.

"Ladies," he nodded. He looked at Nikki, "Can I borrow your friend for a minute?"

"Sure, take as long as you need," Nikki smiled. She turned, walking backward and pointing at Avery, "Just don't forget we have a match later."

The Bella twin gave her an exaggerated wink.

"I won't forget, Nicole, thank you," Avery put her hands on her hips, looking mildly embarrassed. "I'm sorry for that."

"Listen, if anyone needs to apologize here, it's me," Jon said. "That's actually why I wanted to talk to you."

"To apologize?" she raised an eyebrow. "For what?"

"I'm pretty sure tweedle dee and tweedle dumb costing you your match last night was The Authority's way of getting you back for helping me mess with their golden boy," he contended, sliding his hands into his pockets. "If it weren't for me, you'd be the Divas Champion right now."

"What happened to me last night wasn't your fault, Dean," she insisted. "You didn't _force_ me to help you. I thought it would be funny. And it was. Besides, I think being the sole survivor last night and pinning Seth Rollins to get rid of The Authority….kinda makes up for it."

He smiled, reaching up to rub the back of his head, "You're sure you're not upset?"

"With you? No," she shook her head. "If it'll make you feel better, we can say you owe me one."

He nodded, "I can agree to that."

"Good," she stepped forward, giving him a sly grin. "Then I'll let you know when I need to collect on that."

She stood close and he was puzzled when he felt her warm hand touch his chest as she lifted up and placed a soft kiss on his cheek. He closed his eyes when her lips touched him. When his eyes opened, he was met with her big hazel orbs looking up at him. She gave him a subtle wink and took a step away, the warmth of her hand slowly leaving with her.

"See ya later Ambrose," she smiled, offering a quick wag of her fingers before she turned to walk out of frame. He watched her hips swaying as she left, not because he'd been instructed to but because he couldn't seem to tear his eyes away from her. He hadn't expected that kiss and it threw him for a loop.

"Perfect."

Jamie Noble, who had been assigned to produce them, clapped a hand on Jon's shoulder.

"One take, you two make it easy," Jamie said, holding up his hand to high five Avery when she turned around and walked back toward them.

"We're professionals," Avery smirked, walking up and slapping Jamie's raised hand.

Jon was staring at her. He knew he was but he couldn't stop himself. He could still feel her lips on his cheek.

"You okay kid?" Jamie asked.

"What?" Jon snapped out of it, shaking his head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just tired."


	19. Always Something

Thursday…

_Thanksgiving_

Avery walked down the stairs after changing her shirt for the second time of the day. The first time was because she got covered in flour helping Dixie make pie crust. _This_ time was prompted by Dixie declaring that she could see her bra because her shirt was cut too low. How her grandmother watched her wrestle every week in what she wore, Avery didn't know.

Dixie's Australian Shepherd, Dumpling, had followed her upstairs and hopped up on her bed, rolling around in her pillows making some weird huffing noise. She was lucky she was so adorable. Her grandparents drove all the way down from Nashville because Dixie refused to leave her behind.

She rushed down the stairs, Dumpling jumping down to race behind her, knowing Dixie would have her hide if she didn't hurry it up. Since she was making enough food to feed a small army there was a lot of work to do. Fortunately, the end was in sight. They were about three quarters of the way done.

When Avery reached the bottom of the stairs and surveyed the number of people in her living room, she could do nothing but shake her head. Dixie had certainly gotten her wish, there were plenty of people. Avery invited some of her friends that didn't have family in the states or didn't care enough about the holiday to go home to their own families. She figured only one or two would show up. Instead, the house was packed. Fergal Devitt sat on the couch between Rami and Kenta Kobayashi. Kevin had just texted to say he was 5 minutes away with Jessica and the kids. Tenille Dashwood had been following Dixie around the kitchen all day, marveling about how she'd never seen anyone use so much butter in one day. Old fashioned as usual, Dixie had forced all of the women to help her in the kitchen, including Rebecca Quin, who was quite possibly the worst cook in the world.

Avery headed back into the kitchen to find her grandmother cracking her grandfather on the hand with a wooden spoon. She had been especially prickly all morning. When he snatched his hand back he elbowed Avery right in the arm.

"Cut it out you two," she commanded, rubbing her arm.

"Next time you need to buy a house with a bigger kitchen, honeybee," Elias patted Avery on the head before putting his arm around her shoulders. She was choosing to ignore that he refused to stop calling her by her childhood nickname in front of her friends. She'd told him to stop before. He clearly didn't care and as long as he didn't tell the story she would just deal with it.

"I agree," Paige nodded, biting a carrot.

"Shut up, you," Avery pointed. She looked up at her grandfather, "What did you do? Why are you being beaten?"

"I just offered to taste the pie fillin', that's all," he said innocently.

"Sticking a spoon in the bowl is not an offer Elias Ingram," Dixie glared. "You get out of here before I throw you out."

"You watch yourself woman," he pointed. "You be nice to me or I'll tell-"

Dixie fixed a glare on him that made Avery shiver. It was all too familiar; she'd seen it quite a few times in the most rebellious part of her teenage years. That look would stop anyone in their tracks. Dixie didn't use it very often anymore. Not unless she meant business.

"Wait a minute, what are you gonna tell?" she teased, poking Elias in the side. "Now I'm curious."

"Nobody needs to hear the rambling of a crazy old coot," Dixie waved a towel before draping it over her shoulder. "Go on, get out of here. You're in the way."

Elias let go of Avery and gave Dixie a warm smile, "I love you woman. Even when you're bein' mean."

Then he swatted her on the butt, moving remarkably quickly for his age, escaping before she could retaliate.

"Your grandparents are the cutest thing I've ever seen," Rebecca chuckled, chopping away at some celery.

"Careful, they'll make you part of the family and then you'll never be rid of 'em," Avery smirked, going back to lining her pie tins.

"I would love that," Rebecca laughed.

As they all laughed and talked and watched Becky to make sure she was doing everything correctly, Avery kept a close eye on her grandmother. She had no idea what it could be but Dixie was up to something. She had every intention of dragging it out of her but then Kevin and Jess came in with the kids and she saw their adorable little faces, she didn't give it another thought.

Two hours went by and the kids were playing hide and seek outside with Fergal, Elias, and Becky while Kenta played third wheel to a very flirty Rami and Paige in the living room. Paige had barely ever paid attention to Rami before but she had certainly taken an interest for the day. She must have really liked what she saw when she walked in on him in the shower.

While Dixie and Tenille set the table, Avery and Jessica finished up in the kitchen.

"I don't know who's gonna be more tired when they're done, my kids or Elias," Jessica chuckled, watching through the window as they ran around in the grass.

"Definitely the kids," Avery said, pouring them each a glass of wine while Dixie wasn't looking. She'd been working them to the bone with very little reward yet. "That old man can still outrun me."

"That must be where you get it from," Jessica laughed.

"If it means I'll be in that kind of shape at his age, I certainly hope so," Avery smirked, taking a sip of wine before putting on her oven mitts.

The doorbell rang and Avery frowned, turning in the direction of the sound.

"Were you expecting anybody else?" Jessica looked over her shoulder at her.

"I don't think so but who knows? It's not like we won't have enough food," Avery shook her head as Dixie and Tenille walked back into the kitchen. It was probably just someone who decided to come at the last minute and didn't call. Or maybe they did, Avery hadn't seen her phone in a while.

"I'll get it," Kevin volunteered. She heard him going toward the door so she set about taking pies out of the oven. She didn't even like pie but Dixie always put her in charge of them. She had to give herself a pat on the back though. They looked beautiful.

The sound of the door slamming echoed through the house, causing Avery to jump and Jessica to drop the dish she was washing into the soapy sink water. Avery put down her pie, walking out of the kitchen.

"What the hell?" she eyed Kevin as he walked brusquely away from the door. "Who was it?"

"Wrong number," Kevin shrugged, trying to turn her around when he reached her.

She sidestepped him. It wasn't like she lived in a confusing area. People didn't just show up at the wrong door.

"Avery," Kevin called out but she ignored him, grabbing the knob and swinging the door open.

_What the fuck_?

* * *

_What the fuck are you doing, Good?_

Jon paced back and forth on the front steps. He had convinced himself that this was a totally normal thing to do; leaving the perfectly nice Thanksgiving celebration at Joe's Uncle's house to go have dinner with his ex-girlfriend and her grandparents. Sitting in his rental car, he thought to himself, Yeah, this makes sense. He'd spent holidays with them before; this would be like any other time. And he and Avery were good. They had to be, he wouldn't have been invited otherwise, right?

Now, standing at her door, this seemed like a massive lapse in judgment. But he didn't have the best judgment anyway. And he was already there, and hungry, so he should probably just suck it up and ring the stupid doorbell.

He took a deep breath, counted to three, and pressed the button. No turning back now.

After a few seconds the door opened.

_Kevin Steen. _

_Of course._

Kevin stared at him for a moment and then he scoffed, shaking his head and slamming the door shut.

That was a great start.

He knew Kevin would be there, that wasn't a surprise. He just didn't think Kevin would be the first hurdle he had to jump. Outside of a very threatening voicemail, the two of them hadn't had any contact since Jon and Avery broke up. He considered just getting back in the car and heading back to Tampa but he could smell the food cooking and he could deal with Steen if it meant having a home cooked meal. There was also the fact that he hadn't seen the Ingrams in almost a year.

He shook out his shoulders, tightened his grip on the wine and reached out to ring the bell again. Before he could, the door opened and this time Avery stood in front of him. Dumpling appeared at her feet, eyeing Jon curiously. Avery cocked her head, her eyes narrowed. He wondered if she knew she had flour on her nose. She opened her mouth but nothing came out right away.

"Happy Thanksgiving?" he smirked.

"Hey," she looked perplexed. "What are you doing here?"

"I'd like to know the same thing," Kevin came up behind her, crossing his arms and glaring a hole right through Jon's head. Jon would have been intimidated if…well, if he ever actually got intimidated.

"You didn't know I was coming," he realized it just as he said it. Of course she didn't. He should have known.

"Was I supposed to?" she furrowed her brow.

"Surprise?" he laughed, holding up the wine bottle.

"You should have just left the damn door closed," Kevin shot Avery a look. He turned his steely gaze back to Jon, "What the hell are you doing here?"

"Will you relax please?" Avery whipped her head toward him.

"You want _me_ to relax?" Kevin stared at her.

"Yes, Kevin, I do," said through gritted teeth before a hard eye roll brought her eyes back to Jon. "I uh..I'm sorry I just..wasn't expecting-"

"I thought you knew," Jon scratched his head. "I should just-"

"I invited him."

* * *

Avery's spine went straight as a rod when she heard her grandmother's voice behind her. She turned, training her eyes on the woman who raised her, "Excuse me?"

Dixie walked past her, grabbing Jon's arm and guiding him into the house, "Come on in here before you let in the flies."

Oh so she was just gonna walk past Avery in her own house without any explanation?

Jon looked very uncertain and Avery could feel the anger coming off of Kevin in waves behind her.

"Grammie…can I speak with you alone for a moment?" she requested sweetly, placing her hand gently on Dixie's shoulder.

Jon didn't look like he liked the idea of being alone with Kevin but Avery couldn't be concerned about that. He dug that grave himself.

"Of course sweetheart," Dixie smiled and then Avery turned, heading toward her guest room with Dumpling skipping around at her heels. She stuck her head in the kitchen asking Jessica to go control her husband before continuing on to the bedroom. Once inside, Avery shut the door roughly behind her, "What are you up to old lady?"

Dixie could handle being called a lot of things but 'old lady' was not one of them and Avery knew it. Her sweet little cheeks flushed and she pulled a wooden spoon out of her apron, "Avery Elizabeth, don't you forget who you're talking to."

"How are _you_ threatening _me_ when _you_ invited _my ex-boyfriend_ over for Thanksgiving dinner?"

When she thought about it for a moment she wasn't even mad. The very sight of Jon didn't make her venomously angry as it once had. She was just surprised. Very, very surprised. She'd never shared with her grandmother exactly _why_ they broke up but Dixie knew that she was devastated by it and that they weren't getting back together.

"Calm yourself down little girl. I'm not up to anything," Dixie waved her off. "I just thought it would be a nice thing to do."

"Nice to who exactly?" Avery raised an eyebrow.

"Avery, you know he isn't very close to his family," Dixie sighed, putting the spoon back into its holster.

"Of course I know that Grammie," Avery rubbed her temple. She knew better than Dixie what Jon's relationship with his family was like.

"And you told me that things were better between you," Dixie reminded her. "I didn't think it would do any harm."

Avery's eyes bugged out, "You didn't think it would do any harm? What if I had lied? What if I just told you that things were better so you didn't worry?"

"Did you?" Dixie challenged.

Avery crossed her arms, looking away. She could feel herself pouting but she couldn't stop it.

"Sweetheart, this holiday is about being with family and being thankful for what you have."

Avery checked out of the conversation. She was just so annoyed she didn't know what to do. She _hated_ being caught off guard. And for the life of her, she could not understand why Dixie would invite Jon without talking to her first.

"That boy spent every holiday with this family for 2 years," Dixie sighed. "When you said that things were better, I just couldn't stop thinking about him being at home alone with nowhere to go. It didn't sit right with me."

Avery loved Dixie's charitable heart and welcoming nature. It was one of the best things about her grandmother. She made everyone around her feel loved and cared for, like they were part of the family.

Dixie took Avery's hands in hers, "Now you know I've always liked Jonathan but if the two of you are better off apart, then so be it. I didn't have any ulterior motives sweetheart…I just didn't want the boy to be alone. I would hope that if my child were out somewhere alone, someone would take them in."

Avery thought of her own mother who was spending Thanksgiving with her new boyfriend's family. They'd invited her to Avery's but she insisted she needed to go and 'make a good impression'.

She sighed, knowing that there was no point in talking about it anymore. He was already there and there was plenty of food and in truth, like her grandmother, she didn't like the idea of anyone being alone on a holiday. Damn family values. She was just going to have to put a muzzle on Kevin.

"Alright, let's get goin' before dinner gets cold," Avery sighed, opening the door.

"You're a good girl," Dixie patted her on the cheek, giving her one of those incredibly sweet old lady smiles that melted her heart and made her want to be a better person.

Avery sighed, looking down at Dumpling, "How the hell did you let this happen?"

* * *

Jon wished Dixie would have just let him wait outside while she talked to Avery. It would have been better than being stuck with Kevin.

"So you thought it would be a good idea to take advantage of a grandmother's kindness?" Kevin stood with his arms crossed.

"How exactly am I taking advantage Kev?" Jon asked, intentionally needling him. He had a thing about being called 'Kev' by people he didn't like. "She called me and wouldn't let it go. You know how Dixie gets."

"Then you say you're gonna come and just don't show up," Kevin suggested. "It's not like you have a reputation to uphold."

"Kevin, I'm already here and I think you and I both know that's not gonna change," Jon said. "How about I make you a deal? I won't sit next to you and you can stay off my back for the rest of the day. How's that sound?"

"That sounds phenomenal," Jessica came out of the kitchen looking flushed. She gave Kevin a look and he rolled his eyes, looking away.

"Hi honey," Jessica gave Jon a half hug. "Good to see you."

"I'm glad someone thinks so," Jon smirked.

"She doesn't like you any more than I do," Kevin pointed out. "She's just better at hiding it."

"Don't listen to him," Jessica smirked. "I like you slightly better than he does."

"I'll take it," Jon smiled gratefully at her. She was always good at breaking up the tension between him and Kevin. Steen had never liked the idea of Avery dating him and he never bothered to hide it. Unfortunately, he and Avery were so close that it meant a lot of awkward outings with the four of them over the years. "The kids here?"

"They're out back with Eli," Jessica explained. "In fact, they need to get inside and wash their hands. You wanna handle that Daddy?"

"Sure," Kevin gave her an incredibly fake smile, shot Jon another dirty look, and then walked away.

"Nice to see you too Kev," Jon smiled, waving.

"Don't antagonize my husband," Jessica pointed at him.

"That was the last time, I swear," he laughed, putting his hands up.

"Good, because I can only protect you so much," Jessica sighed. She looked up at him, putting her hands on her hips, "You know why he's like this, right?"

"He's protective, I get it," Jon nodded. "But I'm not here to cause any drama. I swear."

"I know you aren't." She reached up, patting him on the shoulder, "You just want to be around loved ones. There's nothing wrong with that."

There was something pointed in the way she said 'loved ones' but he shrugged it off. He was there because Dixie asked and she'd always been so good to him and he didn't want to turn her down.

Kevin came in with the kids and Jessica scuttled off to help get them washed up just as Avery and Dixie were coming back.

Dixie gave him a quick wink and detoured into the kitchen.

"Listen, I can just head out if you want," he offered as Avery approached him.

She furrowed her brow, "Why would I want you to leave?"

He laughed, "You didn't exactly seem happy to see me, Av."

"I'm not mad that you're here," she explained. "I'm just annoyed that she didn't tell me you were coming."

"You sure?" he asked, searching her face. "You don't mind?"

"If you thought I would mind, you wouldn't have come," she crossed her arms. "So why are you even asking?"

She was right about that. Even though Dixie had been the one to ask, he'd just assumed that Avery was okay with it.

"Okay, if you're sure," he gave her one last out.

She rolled her eyes, taking the wine bottle out of his hand, "Come on. Let's go claim our seats before all the good ones are taken."

* * *

Jessica felt like she had to keep a watchful eye on the entire table. Her children were the ones she was least concerned with. They were sitting across the table from her, between Dixie and Elias, and they were having an absolute ball. The Ingrams were fantastic bonus grandparents so she knew she didn't have to worry about her adorable offspring.

Paige and Tenille were both plowing through the wine at double the pace of anyone else so she was making sure they had enough food on their plates to keep them from getting sloppy. She was also trying to make sure Avery ate enough because her good friend was running around like a chicken with its head cut off playing hostess. She had been in and out of the kitchen multiple times grabbing everything anyone could ever need. When she wasn't waiting on everyone, she was sitting between Fergal and Jon, giggling and talking with both of them. Jon tried to take a bite of mac and cheese off of Avery's plate but she grabbed his fork, trying to redirect it to her own mouth. They wrestled over the fork for a few seconds until Avery finally gave up.

"You have a magazine cover to get ready for," Jon reminded her. "I'm just trying to help you."

"You are a thief and you should be ashamed of yourself," Avery glared.

"You can call me any name you want," he smiled at her. "It is worth it for this food."

Jessica jumped when she heard silverware clanging against plate beside her.

And then there was her husband. Her handsome, intelligent, funny, brooding, jerk of a husband. He was exasperated, wiping his hands on his napkin and tossing it down on the table beside him, crossing his arms. He shook his head, looking around at no one in particular. This was a classic Kevin Steen tantrum. He knew no one was going to join in with him but he couldn't bear to just sit and stew quietly. Others had to know of his discomfort.

Jessica understood what was bothering her husband. She knew the feelings of anger he harbored. She had her own issues with Jon Good but she knew when and where to address them. This was not the time or the place. She turned, fixing an icy glare on him. He sighed deeply, picking up his phone like a sullen teen. She watched him type out something, growing concerned as she saw a Cheshire grin slowly spreading across his face.

"What are you doing?" she whispered to him as everyone else started laughing at something Becky said.

"Nothing," Kevin smiled sweetly.

"Oh God," Jessica sighed, rubbing her forehead. "Kevin, behave yourself."

"I am behaving myself," Kevin insisted.

"I'm gonna get myself another one of those beers," Eli said, gripping the arms of his chair.

"No, let me," Kevin stood up, grabbing the older man's empty glass. "I need one too."

"Me too, dear," Rami raised his hand and Kevin blew him a kiss, making Jessica chuckle.

When he walked out of the room, Jessica noticed that Kevin had left his phone on the table.

Amateur.

She quickly slid it off the table and into her lap, typing in the passcode, her birthday, and unlocking it. She frowned when she saw his last action on the phone. A text to Claudio.

_You should've come. She keeps talking about you._

She got up quickly, marching into the kitchen.

"What the _heck_ are you doing?" she slid the phone onto the counter, screen still displaying his text.

"Did you just say heck?" he asked. "You know the kids aren't in here, right?"

"You know I have been trying to work on my language so the kids don't curse," Jessica pointed. "Do not change the subject. What the heck Kevin?"

"I just can't take you seriously when you say that," Kevin smiled. "It's so cute."

"Why would you text that to Claudio?" she fumed.

"Because he's the only guy she's ever liked that's actually a decent person," Kevin claimed. "Excuse me for trying to facilitate an actual healthy relationship for our friends."

"You can't mess with people like that, honey," she objected. "You are not the meddlesome mother in some romantic comedy. You don't get to make decisions for everyone else. And now, because you're being a brat, you can't have your phone back for the rest of the night."

She snatched the phone, shoving it into her pocket.

"Jessica," he laughed, holding out his hand. "I am not one of the kids. Give me my phone back."

She turned, walking back out to the dinner table, "Not until you stop acting like one of the kids."

* * *

"We have fire!"

Kevin chuckled as Fergal triumphantly raised his hands in the air. Once Dixie and Eli retired to bed, the rest of the group had come out to Avery's backyard and decided to try out the fire pit that she'd never actually used. The previous owners built the pit and bought brand new outdoor furniture and left it when Avery moved in. Jessica was having a fun night out, despite still holding his phone hostage, and the kids had fallen asleep in Avery's bed so Kevin was happy to have a few beers and shoot the breeze with his friends. And apparently Jon. For reasons unknown to Kevin, Avery hadn't kicked her ex out yet. In fact, she was being downright friendly. He'd been doing his best for his wife and Avery's grandparents' sake to keep the peace but it pissed him off to no end that Jon was there.

He knew from the moment Avery told him she met Jon that that things would not end well between them. Still, that didn't make it any less infuriating to see her so hurt. He had tried and tried to tell her to keep her guard up with him but Avery didn't live her life that way. She dove head first into things. It was one of the things he'd liked about her when they first met. It made her a great at what she did but it made her a frustrating person to care about. She let herself fall hard.

He just kept thinking of the first time he saw her after that asshole cheated on her. She didn't call when she got home but Ashley texted him from her apartment saying that Avery was a wreck and she needed backup. She had stopped crying by the time he got there but as soon as Kevin hugged her, she was a sobbing mess again. He had never seen her so upset and he never wanted to see it again. He couldn't understand why Avery was allowing him back into her life.

"Told you I could do it," Fergal pointed at Kevin.

He'd offered to be the one to get a good fire going but Fergal insisted he wanted to try. He had a tendency to be passionate about the weirdest things.

"Congratulations, you've got the skill level of a caveman," Kevin teased.

Fergal made a ridiculous face, jutting out his chin and started beating on his chest.

Paige got everyone chanting Fergal's name and he took a dramatic bow before sitting down beside Becky.

With the fire finally going, everyone started to sit down. Jessica snuggled in comfortably at Kevin's side on the oversized chair, drinking a glass of white wine. Rami, Paige, and Kenta took up the long wicker couch. Avery had gone into the kitchen to get Jessica's wine bottle and beers for herself and Paige. When he saw her heading back, drinks in hand, Kevin searched for a spot for her to sit. He frowned deeply when he saw an open spot on the loveseat next to Jon. Avery took a second to look around before heading right for it. Of course. She couldn't sit anywhere else? On the ground? In the fire?

Jon looked up, smiling at her when she sat beside him. He asked her what she was drinking and she showed him the bottle, then offered it to him to try. He tried it and they both laughed when he made a face, shaking his head and thrusting it back toward her. Kevin rolled his eyes and Jessica sat up straighter, giving him a look, "Stop it."

"Stop what?"

"Stop huffing," Jessica rolled her eyes. "Just leave them be."

"I'm not even doing anything," he put his hands up.

She smirked at him, "I can read your mind. Just let it go. Nothing's happening."

Kevin cast a glance back at them, "I hope you're right."

* * *

Jon felt his phone buzz in his pocket and he pulled it out, reading a text from Joe.

_How's it going? Should I send out a search party?_

That definitely wouldn't be necessary. He was having a great time. He'd spent most of dinner catching up with Eli and Fergal. The Irishman was kind of an odd dude. Jon could see why their mutual friends always spoke so highly of him. Dixie had absolutely stuffed him with food and pie. And for the cherry on top, Jessica had managed to keep Kevin away from him almost all night. Sure, he shot him dirty looks and made a few snide comments but for Kevin, that was downright pleasant. Jessica was a saint.

"Shouldn't we keep it down?" Becky asked Avery. "We're gonna wake your grandparents."

"We're far enough away from the house," Avery shrugged. "Besides, they sleep like the dead. Made it really easy to sneak out of the house back in the day."

"Please don't ever tell my kids things like that," Kevin looked over at her.

"How am I supposed to be the cool aunt if I don't teach them everything I know?"

"Honeybee does have a point," Jessica smiled.

"Oh please don't call me that," Avery put her hands over her face. "I have had enough of that today."

"Alright, I have to ask…_Why_ does he call you that?" Tenille questioned.

"Wait a minute," Jon looked around at the group. "You guys have been here all day and you haven't heard the Honeybee story?"

Jon asked Elias about the nickname the first time he ever heard him say it and the older man was all too happy to tell the story.

"Shut up," Avery fixed a glare on him. She hated stories about herself as a kid. Probably because they always involved a lot of gushing from her grandparents.

"So there is a story?" Fergal asked.

"There's a great story," Jon announced, sitting forward.

"Jonathan," Avery used his full name and he looked over at her. She had that smile that she got when she was mad but still sort of amused. "I will sew your mouth shut."

She was up on her knees as though getting taller would somehow stop him.

"Oh come on, give the people what they want," he chuckled.

She reached over, covering his mouth with her hand, wrapping her other arm around his neck. She was so fast he couldn't stop her. She wasn't really choking him, just gently squeezing.

"There will be no honeybee story today." She giggled. The side of her face touched his, her skin soft and warm. He could feel her laughter against him and smell her perfume. This was a chokehold he wasn't exactly struggling to get out of. In his periphery he could see Kevin's eyes watching them like a hawk. Jon wasn't going to let it bother him. Kevin was going to hate him no matter what he did.

He reached back, tickling her side and she nearly jumped out of her skin, immediately letting him go and standing up to get away from the tickling.

"That is _not_ fair," she pointed at him.

"Come sit down, I promise I won't tell the story," he laughed, patting her seat beside him.

She eyed him warily but slowly returned to her seat, folding her legs beneath her. He put his arm over the back of the seat, accidentally grazing her shoulder. She wasn't fazed by it, she was too busy telling everyone that she didn't care how much they wanted to hear the story. The conversation eventually shifted to something else and before he knew it, another hour had gone by. This was one of the things he'd missed most about Avery; how much fun he could have doing absolutely nothing with her. They used to sit and talk to each other for hours on end. He was endlessly fascinated by her and she seemed to feel the same. Toward the end of their relationship they barely spoke at all.

Something Fergal said made Avery laugh and she turned, looking up at Jon to see if he heard it. She gave him this unfiltered, nose crinkled smile that made him smile even though he had no idea what the hell Fergal was talking about.

He tuned back into the conversation around him, listening as they all shared stories of their first matches. Avery leaned back against their seat, getting more comfortable; her ponytail draped over his arm and her head ever so slightly toward him. This time a year ago he would have pulled her onto his lap and wrapped her in his arms. But now he remained an arm's length away, resisting the urge to twist a lock of her hair around his finger.

"I'm gonna go grab some water," he got up, rolling his shoulders. All of the beer was obviously starting to get to his head and he needed to get his thoughts straight.

"I can go," Avery straightened up, looking up at him.

"No, I got it," he assured her. "You've been running around all day, relax. You want anything?"

"I would love another beer," she smiled.

"Got it, anybody else?"

Once he determined he was bringing back two bottles of water and a six pack of beer, he headed back into the house, careful to close the door quietly behind himself. He was shuffling through a drawer, looking for a bottle opener when the sound of the door opening startled him.

Avery crept inside, giggling when she saw his alarmed expression. She was getting tipsy too; he could hear it in the way she laughed.

"Sorry," she whispered. "I just realized you don't know where the bottle openers are."

"So you decided to creep in here like a cat burglar?" he whispered back.

"I'm just being quiet," she whispered, opening a drawer. He watched her as she closed the drawer, frowning, "This is where they're supposed to be."

"You sure about that drunky?" he smirked.

She dropped her mouth open in surprise, "I am not drunk."

"I don't know sweetheart, I think you're a little drunk," he stepped closer to her, holding his index finger and thumb about an inch apart, close to her face.

She laughed, pushing his hand away from her face. She hooked her index finger around his, looking up at him. The faint light coming through the window made her hair shine bright, her long lashes casting a shadow on her cheeks. She still had a faint hint of the bruise she'd gotten Sunday night.

"I'm glad you came today," she smiled.

It made him feel good to hear her say that. It felt good to have her smile up at him that way. He looked her in the eye, still holding her hand, "I am too."

She had goosebumps and for a moment he allowed himself to think they were caused by him and not the chill outside. He wanted to know that he could still have that effect on her; send a shiver down her spine. She could still do it to him.

She looked down at their hands and then back up to him. He could see the moment that she held her breath. He watched her eyes fall to his lips.

Neither of them moved, neither said a word. Then, Avery gave her head a small shake, she blinked, flustered, "We should get back outside. They're all gonna think we got lost or something."

She moved to leave but he held on to her hand, pulling her back. His other hand tipped her chin up toward his face.

The lights suddenly switched on, nearly blinding both of them.

"Oh how _shocking_"

"Are you fucking kidding me?" Jon groaned, dropping his head onto Avery's shoulder when he heard Kevin's voice. He actually wanted to throw something at the other man. Whatever it took to get him to leave.

"I could ask the same question," Kevin's retort was dripping with sarcasm and Jon's shoulder's tensed.

He was still holding Avery's hand, still standing as close as he could without being fully pressed against her. He lifted his head from her shoulder, looking her in the eye. He wanted to kiss her so badly he could barely see straight. He didn't give a shit who was around but he knew she did.

"Get out Kevin," Jon instructed.

"You get out," Kevin spat. "You shouldn't have been here to begin with."

Avery seemed to come out of the trance she was in, taking a step away from Jon, turning to glare at Kevin, "Will you stop?"

"You are not this dumb, Avery," Kevin pointed at her.

"Alright, you're not gonna talk to her like that," Jon stood between them.

"Someone needs to tell her," Kevin said. "Apparently she needs to be reminded what kind of person you are."

"You need to back the hell off," Jon turned on the shorter man, getting in his face. He had tried his best. He'd been cool all day, but enough was enough. He wasn't dealing with any more of Kevin's shit. "Or I'm gonna remind _you_ what kind of person I am."

"What are you gonna do Jon? Huh?" Kevin scoffed, unimpressed. "Come on. Tell me. What exactly are you gonna do?"

"Stop it," Avery interrupted, putting her arm between them and using her shoulder to nudge Jon backward. "Stop."

"No, I'm done," Jon shook his head, not allowing her to back him up any further. "You have been on my ass from day fucking one about her."

"Hey!" Avery turned, putting a hand on his chest, her expression steely. "This conversation is not gonna happen right now."

"No, Avery, he's right," Kevin confirmed behind her. "You're right, I have been. I told her not to get involved with you and when she didn't listen, I told her to dump your ass. You wanna guess why? Because I knew you would fuck up. And guess what? You proved me right. You fucked up."

Jon's jaw clenched tight. If Avery hadn't been standing between them, he probably would have taken a swing at Kevin. It was taking an enormous amount of restraint not to just move her out of the way.

"You can't even say anything because you know I'm right," Kevin spat. "You know you don't even have a right to argue because I'm the one who had to come in and try to put her back together after you cheated on her, just like I knew you would."

Kevin and Jessica had been like an impenetrable fortress right after the breakup. If Avery had been with Paige, Ashley, almost anyone he would have at least been able to get her to sit down and talk to him but she spent her days at 'home' at their house and it was like she dropped off the face of the Earth.

The hand that Avery was using to push Jon back fell to her side and he could see the hurt take over her face, "Kevin, do you really think this is necessary right now?"

"Yes, Av, I do. I know that's not what you want to hear but you need to hear it," Kevin softened but only a fraction. "You tell me how hard it is to be at odds with him and you want to be friends but that's it. You're never getting back together. That was what- a few weeks ago? And then I walk in on this. You need to remember who this guy is. He's not your friend. _This_ is the guy who let his neighbor go down on him while you were in the next room. He didn't even respect you enough to do it when you weren't around."

Jon was throwing the punch before he even realized it was happening. Before his fist could connect, he felt an arm hook his at the elbow, twisting his arm behind his back, another arm coming around his stomach and wrapping him up tight. He looked at Kevin and saw Rami holding him in a similar position.

"Calm down," he heard Fergal's accent in his ear as he felt himself being pulled backward.

Avery stood in the center of the kitchen looking stunned. Jessica came in and when she took in the scene before her, her shoulders sank. She took Avery by the hand, pulling her toward the door to go back outside. Avery took her hand away from Jessica, crossing her arms, looking back and forth between Jon and Kevin. Jessica turned, pointing at them, "Get your shit together. My kids are upstairs and if they had to hear any of that, you're both dead."

Rami let Kevin go and he tried to step in front of his wife, "Jess-"

"Not now," Jessica put her hand up. "I'm going to check on the kids."

"I'll go with you," Avery offered, following closely after her, not looking at anyone else in the room.

Jon glared across the room at Kevin. He still wanted to hit him. He knew that what Kevin said was true. But the fact that he threw it in both of their faces that way just set him off. He didn't need to be told about how Kevin 'the all-knowing' had predicted him torpedoing his relationship.

"What the hell happened in here?" Rami asked.

"Somebody doesn't like to hear the truth," Kevin spat.

"Fuck you Kevin," Jon said, wrenching his way out of Fergal's grasp. He didn't run but Fergal stayed close. "What happens between me and Avery is none of your business."

"But it will be my business," Kevin said. "She's like my sister, you idiot. Every time you screwed up, every time, I had to deal with it. When you broke her heart, I had to deal with it. I don't care if it pisses you off. I don't care about you. I'm not gonna let you screw her over again."


	20. Atmosphere

_Monday…_

"Wow," Joe laughed, shaking his head. Jon had just finished relaying the events of Thursday night to him and Windham as they drove to the BOK Center in Tulsa. "Steen doesn't fuck around. I can respect that."

Jon glared at him.

"What?" Joe laughed. "He was trying to protect his people."

Jon wanted to argue that Avery wasn't Kevin's 'people' but that would be futile. He was the closest thing she had to a brother.

"It's not exactly a surprise that he would act that way," Windham chimed in from the backseat. "I do find something interesting though. I seem to remember you telling me that you didn't have any interest in getting back together with Avery."

"I don't," Jon spoke quickly. "I just...I don't know. Shut up."

Jon didn't know what he wanted. All he knew was that before they were interrupted that night in her kitchen, all he could think of was kissing her; feeling her soft lips and her body pressed against him. _That_ was what he wanted in the moment.

"You're the one that brought it up," Joe laughed.

Jon realized now that it was probably a mistake to talk to them about what happened. He didn't want to be questioned about what he wanted with Avery. He didn't have any idea what he wanted. He'd spent the rest of the weekend trying, unsuccessfully, not to think about it. He just kept picturing her in his head, wondering what would have happened if Kevin hadn't been there.

"You're supposed to have my back not admire Kevin," Jon tried to shift the focus.

"If I'd been there, I would have. You know that," Joe said seriously.

"So what happened after the girls went upstairs to check on the kids?" Win questioned.

"It pretty much killed the party. Rami put out the fire, Devitt gave me a ride."

"So you didn't talk to Avery?" Joe asked.

Jon shook his head. He'd sent her a text telling her that he was sorry for ruining the night. She didn't respond. He thought about calling her but he wasn't sure what he would say. He wasn't really sorry for trying to hit Kevin. He was pissed off. He'd been provoked. And he didn't know if he was sorry for trying to kiss her. At the time, it was the only thing he could think about but in retrospect, it may not have been the best idea.

"Well you'll get to talk to her tonight," Joe said. "Hopefully she's not too pissed."

"Yeah, I hope not," Jon agreed. He didn't think she would be mad at him but he didn't know what to expect either. "We'll see what happens I guess."

* * *

Paul tapped a stack of scripts for the night against his hand as he walked out of a production meeting that felt like it was never going to end. Vince had changed his mind on what he wanted to do with Cena and Brock several times which caused Paul a massive headache. Thankfully, it was over. Things were finalized for at least the next 24 hours and they could get on with the rest of the day. He was walking toward the talent locker rooms when he Avery's messy, white top knot caught his eye. She was standing with Dean Malenko, which was not a surprise. He walked over, tapping his papers on the top of her head. She barely reacted, looking at him out of the corner of her eye.

"Are you finally done?" Malenko asked, reaching out for the papers.

"Yes, finally," Paul answered. "You're working with Reigns and Harper tonight."

"Good to know," Dean nodded.

Paul looked over at Avery, alarmed by how quiet she was, "Did you see the Slammy nominations?"

Nominations for the annual awards had been tweeted and then posted on the website that morning. Avery was up for 6, the most of all of the Divas and after a hard push from Paul and Sarah, the Divas Championship match from Survivor Series had been included in the running for Match of the Year.

"Yeah, I saw," she nodded. "Thanks."

He stared, puzzled. She normally got excited over just about everything and she was completely no-selling this.

"Watch out for this one," Malenko advised. "She's in a foul mood today."

"I am not," Avery argued.

She shot Dean a dirty look and he chuckled, pointing at her face, "See? That's exactly what I'm talking about."

One of the PAs came over, telling Dean they needed him for something and he excused himself, patting Paul on the shoulder as he walked away.

"You mind telling me what's got you throwing daggers at Dean?" Paul asked. "You _love _him."

Avery was one of the kids who loved soaking up knowledge from the old guys. The first time Shawn was backstage at a show she worked, she followed him around like a puppy. She did the same to Scott Hall. Dean was clearly her favorite agent to work with aside from Sarah.

"Of course I do," she sighed. "I'm fine. I just had a long weekend."

"You all complain that you never get time off and now you had too much?" he smirked.

"I don't complain about time off," she pointed out. "And I told you I'm fine. I don't know what else you want to hear."

"Okay, okay," he put his hands up. She was obviously irritated about something she didn't want to share and he didn't have the time to poke and prod and try to get it out of her. "I'll leave you alone. Just get together with Paige today. I want some ideas for your match at TLC."

"Okay," she nodded without any enthusiasm. "I'll get right on it."

Paul turned to walk away, still frowning in confusion. The Avery he was used to would have followed him around for 20 minutes talking his ear off about what she wanted to do for her next big match but she was just saying 'okay'? What the hell happened on her Thanksgiving break?

* * *

Avery walked away from her conversation with Paul feeling like an idiot. She should not have acted that way with her boss. And she felt awful for being snappy with Dean. She just couldn't help it. She was incredibly tense and had been for days. No amount of yoga or meditation of any kind had done anything to help. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out, seeing yet another text message from Kevin.

_If you don't answer the phone soon, I will inundate you with sad pictures of my kids. I am not above torture._

She rolled her eyes, not surprised. Kevin always resorted to jokes, thinking that his humor could get him out of trouble.

Another text came through before she put the phone away.

_I just want to talk_

She locked the phone, not interested in reading any more. She hadn't spoken to him since Thursday. She really hadn't spoken to anyone except Paige and a few texts back and forth with Fergal assuring him that she was okay and didn't want to talk about anything. Thankfully, her grandparents hadn't heard a word of the drama that happened in her kitchen Thursday night. When they got up and made breakfast the next morning, Avery and Paige talked about how much fun they had the night before and didn't make any mention of the discord. They spent the rest of the weekend with the Ingrams until they packed up to make the drive back to Tennessee on Sunday night.

She'd received a total of 18 texts from Kevin and not once did he say he was sorry. She wasn't surprised. She knew Kevin very well and he would never say he was sorry if he wasn't. That was why she had nothing to say to him. He didn't think he needed to be sorry. She knew he wanted to protect her and she appreciated how much he cared but she did _not_ appreciate the way he acted. And she wasn't going to talk to him until he figured out that he needed to apologize.

Kevin's texts weren't the only ones that went unanswered. She had a text from Jon that she'd stared at 20 times without responding to it. She had tried incredibly hard not to think about him. She didn't know what she'd been thinking. How did she go from hating him to almost kissing him _twice_ in a few weeks? Just thinking about that moment in her kitchen made her skin feel warm. When he touched her chin that night, she'd felt the desire to kiss him rush through her entire body and that feeling kept creeping into her consciousness just when she thought she'd forgotten about it. But then there were Kevin's words playing over and over in her head. He was right. He was a dick about it but he didn't lie. Jon had cheated on her. Their relationship had crumbled, was probably doomed from the start. So what was she doing?

Her thoughts were interrupted when she was nearly startled out of her skin by an arm wrapping around her waist.

"Shit," she jumped, relaxing when she recognized the scent of Randy's cologne and felt the deep rumble of his laugh as he pulled her back against him.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he chuckled, planting a quick kiss on the side of her neck. "I thought you heard me call your name."

"I didn't," she put a hand to her chest, leaning her head back against him as she tried to calm her heart. "I was a little out of it."

He turned her around and she looked up at his handsome face. He hadn't shaved over the weekend and sported a perfect 5 o'clock shadow.

"You okay?" he asked, running his thumb over her cheek.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she nodded. "Just thinking a little too hard, apparently."

"About?"

"My match at TLC," she lied. "Just trying to come up with something that Paul and Vince won't say no to."

"Good luck," he smirked. "How was your Thanksgiving?"

"Boring," she answered quickly, not about to open that can of worms. "How was yours?"

As he told her about the holiday with his family, they started walking. He draped his arm casually over her shoulders, keeping her close to his side. She listened as he detailed a kitchen disaster that almost resulted in the Orton's not having a turkey. It sounded like a fun time.

"So, what's your schedule look like this week?" he changed the subject.

"Smackdown tomorrow, live events Saturday and Sunday," she answered. That was a bit of a simplification but she assumed he wasn't looking for every detail.

"I'm off Thursday and Friday too," he said. "I was thinking on the way here, what would you think about coming to St. Louis with me after Smackdown? You could stay with me for a few days and then we can fly out together Saturday."

She was caught off guard by the suggestion. She had expected him to ask if she wanted to ride with him over the weekend or something.

"I can't actually," she answered. "I'm still working those other days. I have an appearance on Wednesday and then I'm working at the Performance Center on Thursday and Friday."

"What are you doing there?" he asked.

"Sarah asked me to come in and work with some of the women on Thursday," she explained. "And Friday I'm working with Eva."

He cringed, "Ouch."

"Yeah," she nodded, not looking forward to that task at all. She looked up at him, feeling remorse for shooting down his suggestion. It was nice that he wanted to spend some more time with her. "You could come to Florida...If you want."

Rami was back at his own place and Paige would be out of town so there wouldn't be anyone dropping by unannounced.

"Maybe," he nodded. "That could work."

"Okay well, just let me know," she said when they reached the women's dressing room. "I gotta go find Paige to talk about TLC. I'll see you later."

She turned to leave but he pulled her back, turning her into a kiss. When he pulled her, she had a brief flash of herself and Jon in her kitchen and she pulled away from Randy.

"Are you sure you're okay?" he asked.

"Yes, sorry," she shook her head, trying to shake away the memory. She pulled him down, kissing his lips, focusing on him and nothing else. He groaned, deepening the kiss and pressing against her, backing her into the wall. He tried to come up for air but she held the front of his shirt tightly, teeth tugging at his bottom lip. He put his hand on the wall above her head, pulling away slowly and smiling down at her, "Okay, you convinced me. I'll come to Florida."

* * *

Jon tried to focus on Jamie as the shorter man detailed plans for the night to him, Colby, Avery, and Paige. Avery was standing between Colby and Paige, leaning against a table behind her, looking disarmingly perfect. She was wearing her new shirt. The sleeves were cut off and the sides were slashed so he could see her skin. It fit looser than her shirts usually did but it was tucked into a pair of near obscenely short black shorts and she wore black boots that came up to her knees. He could tell she was deliberately avoiding looking at him and it was beginning to drive him crazy. She'd never stared at Jamie so hard in her life. She wasn't going to be able to avoid talking to him at some point. From what Jamie was telling him, they were going to be spending a big chunk of their night together.

"You two are gonna open the show with me and Joey," Jamie explained. "Avery, Paige, your first segment will be after the first commercial break."

"Got it," Avery nodded and Paige held two enthusiastic thumbs up. Paul walked over before they could break apart and Avery perked up, "I need to talk to you."

"Go," he nodded, taking a drink of what was probably his third or fourth coffee of the day. He tended to go hard on Mondays. Paige looked apprehensive and Avery looked excited. Jon was sure this had something to do with a match.

"We talked about it," Avery looked over her shoulder at Paige. "We want a chairs match."

"Absolutely not," Paul shook his head.

"Come on!" Avery exclaimed. "Why not?"

"I told you he'd say no," Paige laughed.

"You should listen to her more," Paul pointed at Paige. "It's not happening."

"Why?" Avery asked, stepping in Paul's way before he could consider walking off. "You told me we needed to come up with something."

"I thought you'd come up with a big spot or something. Not that."

"It's TLC," Avery reminded him. "And I knew you weren't gonna let us have everything."

"Good, I'm glad you recognize that," Paul smirked. "There's no way Vince would go for it. He doesn't like women hitting each other with chairs. He thinks the fans won't like it. There's also the fact that I can't have you two swinging for the fences and hitting each other in the head."

"No head shots, we know that already," Avery interjected. "There are a million other things we can do. We could do the whole match without ever swinging a chair if you want us to. But I want some kind of a stipulation. Our match is just as important as any other that's gonna be on the card."

Jon crossed his arms, watching as Avery peppered their boss with reasons to give her what she wanted. She was absolutely relentless. Paige interjected here and there but it was all Avery and she was not going to let it go.

"If we're going to do it, we need to start setting it up tonight," Avery said. "So you need to give us an answer."

Paul glared at her but Jon knew he liked this. Passive people didn't get over with him. Paul looked at Jon, "What do you think?"

"I think after what they did at Survivor Series, you should let 'em do whatever they want," Jon shrugged. He was surprised to be asked but the answer was easy. And he knew how Avery's brain worked. She was innovative and clever. If Paul actually challenged her to work the match without swinging a chair, she would do it. Paul knew it too.

Paul looked at Jamie who shrugged, "I don't think it's a bad idea. But you're right, I don't know if Vince will go for it."

"I'll talk to him," Avery put her hands on her hips without an ounce of trepidation. Jon loved seeing her like this. She was supremely confident in herself and it was sexy as hell. He knew that she would go straight to Vince if no one stopped her.

"I will think about it," Paul said, his tone stern. He continued, giving Avery a sharp look when she opened her mouth to interrupt, "But...talk to Jamie, work a chair into what you do tonight somehow. Jamie, you let me know what they come up with before showtime and I'll let you know if it's okay."

"Okay," Jamie and Avery both agreed. Paul shook his head, walking away and downing more of his coffee. When he was a safe distance away Avery pumped her first, turning and smiling at Paige, "I told you he'd go for it."

"I told you he'd only go for it if _you_ asked," Paige laughed.

"Calm down ladies, nothing is set in stone," Jamie said, though he was having trouble hiding a smile. "Come on, you two. I'm sure you've already got a plan."

He turned to Jon and Colby, "You two keep things as we discussed. I'll catch up with ya."

Jon nodded as Jamie fell into a huddle with the two women, both a few inches taller than him.

Colby nudged Jon in the side, "So I heard you had an interesting holiday."

Jon didn't bother to hide the sigh that escaped him, "Yeah it was..something."

"Wanna talk about it?"

Jon looked over his shoulder, smiling as Avery animatedly explained her plans to Jamie.

"I heard Steen tried to punch you," Colby stated.

"_I_ tried to punch _him_," Jon corrected. And he would have if it weren't for Fergal and his quick reflexes.

"Why?" Colby narrowed his eyes.

Jon was sure his friend had already heard the story. He didn't feel the need to repeat himself, "It's not important."

"What's not important?" Joe walked up, clapping his hand down on Jon's shoulder.

"I wanted to hear about Thanksgiving," Colby explained.

Joe looked amused, turning to Jon, "Did you tell him about the kiss thing?"

Of course.

"Kiss thing? What kiss thing?"

"There is no thing," Jon insisted.

"The fight started because Steen flipped out when he came in and saw Jon and Avery about to kiss," Joe explained.

Colby stared, "What? Rami didn't tell me that part."

"Probably because it's none of your business," Jon suggested. "I only told chatty Cathy over here because we were drunk last night."

Unfortunately for him, Joe's mind was like a steel trap, drunk or not.

"Why won't you just admit you want to get back with her man?" Joe questioned.

"I don't-"

Colby cut off his protest, "You tried to kiss her twice."

"Look, you may not want exactly what you had before, we all know that didn't end well," Joe said. "But you clearly want _something_."

Jon knew that he didn't have any room to argue with his friends. There _was_ something between him and Avery. It began bubbling up the moment the hostility between them started to dissipate. He'd been drawn to Avery from the moment that he met her. It never really went away; it had just been clouded by anger.

Joe was right. He didn't want what they once had but he did want _something_.

* * *

Randy rolled his shoulders, watching the monitor. His match was next after Jon and Avery's segment and a Rusev squash. When the show returned from commercial, there was a replay of the fight Avery and Paige filmed. Backstage, Avery was asked by Renee Young what she planned to do now that she'd lost to Paige at Survivor Series. Avery brought up the interference by The Authority and when Colby, Joey, and Jamie interrupted her, Paige attacked her from behind and they engaged in a violent fight. Randy was actually surprised Paul had let them get away with it. Avery threw Paige against a trunk and then tried to slam the top down on her arm. Paige tossed Avery into a cart holding stacks of chairs. Avery was laid out after that and Paige unfolded one of the chairs, straddling it over Avery and sitting down on it, leaning into her face and yelling at her until referees pulled her away. After the replay, the shot cut to the trainer's room. Jon was already there, having his ribs wrapped after being power-bombed through a table by Colby in the opening segment. Avery was arguing with one of the referees as he attempted to help her into the room.

"The hell happened to you?"

"You aren't the only one that got jumped tonight," she grimaced, snapping at Dr. Amann when he tried to help her sit down. They both attempted to refuse medical attention while trying to explain to each other what happened. Then Tom Phillips approached, explaining that the Anonymous GM had announced that they would be teaming up to take on Paige and Seth Rollins. Avery lips spread into a devious smile. Dr. Amann tried to argue that neither of them could compete but Jon grabbed him by the shirt, telling him not to worry about them.

Randy couldn't say he saw what Paul and Vince were so excited about with the two of them. He supposed they had some chemistry but he wasn't blown away. Maybe the best was yet to come.

He saw John coming his way and he nodded as his friend approached. He had a big goofy smile on his face and Randy wasn't sure he wanted to know why. He hadn't seen him or Nicole since he got to the arena.

"What storage closet have you been in?" he joked.

"Meetings," John corrected. "Get your mind out of the gutter."

"But then who would I be?" Randy questioned.

"I heard a nasty rumor about you today," Cena announced.

Randy laughed, "Most rumors about me are true. What'd you hear?"

"I heard that _you_ are spending your off days in _Florida_ this week."

That news traveled fast. Perils of Avery being friends with Nicole, he supposed.

"Yeah, that's the plan," Randy nodded. "I have off days and Avery doesn't so…"

"So I thought there wasn't anything serious going on with you guys," John smirked.

"There isn't," Randy confirmed. "We just didn't really get any time alone together last week."

"So you're just hopping on a plane to Florida in what little free time you have because the sex is just that good?"

"The sex is incredible," Randy smirked. "Definitely worth a plane ticket."

"You like the girl, just admit it," John laughed. "You don't travel for a booty call."

"Says the man who bought Nikki a house and a car," Randy countered. He didn't know why John was so invested in him having feelings for Avery.

"I did that for love," John reminded him. "You remember what that's like, don't you?"

Randy chuckled, "Not exactly. It's been a while."

* * *

Jon smoothed the front of Dr. Amann's shirt when they cut filming, patting the other man on the shoulder, "You alright there? You flinched a little."

"You're a scary man," the doctor chuckled, before straightening up a tray of bandages and scissors that Jon had knocked over. Avery stood patiently at the door, waiting for the cameramen to move so that she could exit the room. Something must have been filming in the hall because they were blocking the way.

He knew the makeup artists had added some blush or something on her neck to sell Paige choking her with the chair but he noticed she also had a small trickle of blood coming from her right nostril. She probably didn't notice it was there. He supposed that was as good a conversation starter as anything else. He stepped around Dr. Amann, touching her arm once he was beside her, "Hey, you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?" she asked.

He tapped the side of his own nose and she frowned, looking at the mirror on the wall beside her.

"Ah shit," she rolled her eyes. "I didn't even feel anything."

He grabbed some tissues from a nearby box and handed them to her. Her eyes met his in the mirror and then darted quickly toward Dr. Amann's back. He caught her meaning quickly and led the way out of the room, squeezing past the camera men and making a path for her to follow behind him. Once they were safely around a corner they stopped and she discarded the tissues in a garbage can.

"Does it look okay?" she tilted her head back.

"Looks fine," he assured her. The blood was gone and there wasn't any more on the way. He knew she didn't want the doctor bugging her about her nose and he couldn't blame her. Sometimes it seemed that the smallest things could get blown out of proportion with their medical team after all the recent scrutiny thanks to Punk. "Tell Paige to take it a little easier on the moneymaker next time."

"Oh come on, you and I both know my ass is the real moneymaker," she joked.

He could see the argument for either; they were both phenomenal.

"I'm worried about the two of you in a chairs match," he teased. "One of you is gonna knock the other's block off."

"I promised Paul no head shots," she reminded him. "I can stick to it."

"Just don't get caught up in the moment," he coached. "After that hard press you put on Paul earlier, you two better kill it."

"Do you have any doubt that we will?" she looked offended. "And I didn't push Paul _that_ hard."

He laughed.

"Whatever, you know I get intense when I want something," she shrugged.

"I do know that," he agreed, glad they were able to hold a conversation. After the way she'd avoided looking at him earlier, he wondered if she would talk to him at all. He knew she wasn't angry. If she'd been angry, she'd be throwing the stink eye and giving him the silent treatment. This was different. This confirmed for him that he wasn't the only one spending the last few days replaying that near-kiss in their mind. The idea of that set his thoughts racing.

"So we're all good for later tonight, right?" she broke the silence between them. She went to put her hands in her pockets but seemed to realize that her shorts were too tight so she put them on her hips instead.

"Yeah, I think we got it," he nodded. "Listen, I wanted to apologize to you for screwing up your party Thursday. I shouldn't have let Kevin get under my skin like that."

"No, you shouldn't have," she agreed. "But he was definitely trying to provoke you. I don't really blame you for being pissed."

He appreciated the understanding. He supposed one couldn't be so close with Kevin without understanding that he was going to rub other people the wrong way. A lot. He didn't have to ask to know that Kevin hadn't apologized. And he wouldn't until Jessica eventually forced him.

"It's over and done with," she sounded tired of the subject. "We can just…forget it happened."

"Are you talking about _everything_ that happened?" he questioned.

"Nothing actually happened," she said for the second time in as many weeks. "And…I don't know. I think we should probably keep it that way. We're going to be spending so much time together now with this angle and…I just think we need to draw a clear line. We're friends. That's it. No backsliding."

He wondered if she would be saying this if Kevin hadn't berated her on Thursday. She wanted him to kiss her. He hadn't imagined that.

She shifted uncomfortably on her feet and he sighed. He could see that this wasn't the right time to push. She'd made up her mind. And they were at work.

"We should also avoid drinking around each other," she smirked. "That seems to have been the catalyst for all of the weirdness between us."

"You and I both know that part isn't going to happen," he quipped. And he knew that alcohol didn't have anything to do with what was going on.

"That is probably true," she admitted. "I just want everything to go smoothly. Are we okay?"

He could tell that she meant what she was saying but he also knew her enough to know that she was just as unsure as he was of whether or not it would work.

She held out her hand, giving him a hopeful smile and he shook it, smiling back at her, "Yeah. We're good."

* * *

Claudio knew he was walking too quickly for TJ and Nattie to keep up but he didn't have any desire to slow down. He wasn't in the proper headspace to deal with Nattie and her particular brand of annoying chatter. TJ had become one of his closest friends but his wife was a different story. He was looking over his shoulder at the couple when he felt himself collide with someone else. He turned forward, reaching out in apology and found himself with his hands on Avery's shoulders. She looked startled and he'd obviously knocked her off course. Her hand wrapped around his wrist.

"Are you alright?" he asked. Her skin was smooth and soft under his fingers and when he realized how good it felt, he removed his hands quickly, cementing them at his sides.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she nodded. He could see in her eyes that she caught the meaning behind the abrupt way he pulled away from her.

"I wasn't watching where I was going," he explained. "I apologize."

"It's fine," she assured him. She took a deep breath and he knew what she wanted to say next. She wanted to talk but he stopped her.

"I have to go," he spoke quickly. "Have a good show tonight."

The deflated way her shoulders sagged when moved away left him feeling guilty. When she walked away, he could hear Nattie saying hello to her in passing. He cast a brief glance over his shoulder, watching her walk quickly away. Half of him wanted to go after her but the other half still wasn't ready to talk. He just wasn't sure he could ever go back to their friendship the way it was and he knew that was what she wanted.

He heard what had happened at her house on Thanksgiving. Kevin admitted that the text he sent was a ploy. He didn't apologize for it but he was honest at least. Fortunately, Claudio hadn't believed it to begin with. Rami filled in the rest of the details. Knowing that she was with Randy was frustrating enough but the idea that she was falling back into something, anything, with Jon was astounding to him. He'd never seen a more unhealthy relationship and that said a lot considering some of the people he knew.

He needed to find a way to be comfortable with the fact that, despite how good things were between them, being with him wasn't what she wanted. Apparently, she wanted chaos.

* * *

Nattie watched as Claudio stared after Avery and Jamie. His face held a look that Nattie couldn't quite identify. She'd always thought that Claudio and Avery were just friends but he'd been very weird since everyone found out about Avery hooking up with Randy. He'd been quiet, distant, snappier than usual. TJ liked to joke that it was due to a lack of good coffee but Nattie could tell that there was more to it. She just wasn't sure what.

Claudio turned, picking up his pace as he walked away and Nattie looked over at TJ. There was no way he'd missed the weirdness that just happened in front of them.

"What is the deal there?" Nattie asked. "And don't lie."

"I don't know what you mean," TJ shrugged in a pathetic attempt at ignorance.

"I _just said_ don't lie," Nattie rolled her eyes.

"Look it's Claudio's business," TJ explained. "It's personal. I can't just tell you his secrets."

"I'm your wife," Nattie reminded him. "If anyone tells you a secret they assume they're telling me too. That's how marriage works."

"I'm pretty sure that's not true but I get the feeling you're not going to let this go," TJ sighed.

"I just want to know what's going on," Nattie insisted. "Claudio's my friend too."

"Fine but if I tell you, you cannot tell anyone else," TJ pointed. "None of the other girls. No one."

"Fine, fine," Nattie put her hands up. Whatever the secret was, she was certain her husband was exaggerating it's importance.

"You know how when Jon and Avery broke up, there were those rumors about Avery and Claudio that they denied?" TJ asked.

Nattie remembered. She heard from more than one place that Avery and Claudio hooked up before her breakup with Jon but the pair insisted that nothing happened and eventually the rumor died off.

"You're not telling me she actually did cheat with him are you?" Nattie stared.

"No, no," TJ shook his head. "Nothing happened with them until after she broke up with Good."

"But something did happen?"

TJ nodded, "They were together for a little while. He agreed to keep it a secret so it wouldn't make her look bad. She didn't want anyone thinking the rumors about her cheating were true."

That sounded extremely selfish to Nattie but it wouldn't be the first time she'd characterized the other woman that way. Avery wasn't a person that she had a lot of positive feelings for.

"Anyway, he was head over heels for her and one day she just broke it off. Told him she wasn't interested in a relationship like he was. It hurt him really bad."

"And that's why he's been so mean lately," Nattie shook her head. "because of her and Randy."

TJ nodded, "Again, you can't tell anybody."

"Why should he care if anyone knows?" she questioned.

"He still doesn't want anyone judging her," TJ explained. "And it's none of our business. I only told you so you'd stop asking."

"Okay, I won't say anything," she assured her husband. "Why don't you go talk to him? I need to go get my makeup done."

TJ looked wary but he gave her a quick kiss before heading off after his tag partner.

Nattie had every intention of heading toward the wardrobe area to get her makeup done but when she passed by the women's locker room and saw Nicole alone, she veered off course, rushing in to talk to her good friend, "I need to tell you something."

* * *

Paul stood beside Vince, his arms crossed over his chest as he watched the next segment. So far, his father-in-law was pleased with the show. He'd cringed during Paige and Avery's fight but applauded it once it was over. And he'd _loved_ Avery and Jon in the trainer's room. He'd also fawned over Randy's match but he always enjoyed watching Randy wrestle. They both watched as Colby stood in the ring, taking the microphone that Jamie retrieved for him.

He held up his hand, signaling for his music to stop, "I have something very important to say."

The crowd booed him loudly and he smiled as he continued, "I'm gonna be honest with all of you for a minute…Despite her…_attitude _problem, I still have a little soft spot for Avery Ryan."

Paige stood in the corner, rolling her eyes and faking a dry heave.  
"I saw firsthand what happened to her earlier tonight. I'm not a heartless man. I'm willing to give up another opportunity to get my hands on that piece of garbage Dean Ambrose in order to spare her from any further injury at the hands of my partner, Paige."

"All you have to do Avery," Colby turned toward the ramp. "Is come out to the ring and apologize."

The heat from the crowd grew louder but when the opening bars of 'Raise Hell' started, Avery got a huge pop. She had been over from her first day on the main roster but Paul noticed that after that Survivor Series match, the crowd's reaction to her had gone to another level. The roof was going to blow off when they finally put the belt on her.

She walked out onto the ramp, moving slower than normal, selling the backstage attack.

Colby instructed Jamie and Joey to hold the ropes for her and Jamie refused, walking to the opposite side of the ring and crossing his arms. Joey begrudgingly walked to the ropes, sitting on the second rope to hold it down.

Avery's lips twitched upward in amusement but when Colby gestured for her to come in, she held up a finger, mouthing that she'd be there in just a minute.

When Ambrose's music started, the Universe exploded in cheers as Jon stormed down to the ring, holding one arm close to his ribs. He slid right into the ring and went after Colby, taking him down with a Thesz press and then raining down rights and lefts.

Paige dropped to the canvas and slid out of the ring to escape the melee but Avery ran at her, hitting her with a stiff kick to the midsection that Paige sold as if she'd been turned inside out. The faces clearly had the upper hand with Jon all over Colby in the ring and Avery slamming Paige's back against the ring apron. Joey tried to save Colby while referees attempted to separate Avery and Paige for the second time that night. One of the refs grabbed Avery around the midsection and hoisted her up, standing her on the ring steps. There were too many people between Avery and Paige and she turned around to look for another route. Seeing Jamie attempting to get back into the ring, she got up onto the ring apron and nailed him with a knee to the head. Jon slid out of the ring on the other side, pulling out a table and sliding it into the ring while Avery shoved a photographer out of a chair at ringside and began stalking Paige with it and threatening the referee that tried to stop her. She went to swing it but another referee snagged it, pulling the chair away from her. At the same time, Kane came through the crowd, saving Colby from being put through the table, attacking Jon and then sliding Colby out of the ring. Paige rushed around the ring to meet them at the end of the ramp and Avery got into the ring, checking on Jon.

"The four of them work well together," Vince observed as the Authority team attempted a hasty exit. Avery stood on the second rope and Jon beside her, both of them yelling toward their foes. "But _those two_…that's where the money is."

Paul agreed. He wouldn't have pushed for the angle if he wasn't confident that it would work.

"I'm glad I decided to go this route," Vince nodded to himself. "They make a good looking pair."

Paul chose not to remind him that he had to be convinced on this particular grouping. Stephanie was the one who initially proposed the idea. Paul seconded it and Vince originally said it wouldn't work but Paul pushed. He'd seen the tension between Avery and Jon, heard how things went every time they were forced to be around each other. He knew that two people with that much fire between them, good or bad, needed to be given the opportunity to turn it into something great. He had a good feeling that this was going to work exactly the way he expected. And if his father in law needed to give himself credit for it, then so be it.


	21. Red Flag

_Tuesday..._

Nicole surveyed her surroundings through dark Prada sunglasses as she waited outside Avery's hotel room. She and John had arrived in town just in time. The women needed to leave for their convention appearance in less than 20 minutes. Nikki had never been so glad to have a fully stocked vanity on the tour bus. The door swung open and Avery quickly turned back into the room with her phone pressed between her ear and her shoulder. She waved Nikki inside.

"Rami, it's not your job to play referee," Avery spoke. "If he has something to say to me, he can say it himself. And if he can't be bothered to do that, then I can't be bothered to talk to him….No, Ram. Listen hon, I gotta go. I'll talk to you later. Bye."

Nikki wondered what her friend was referring to. They hadn't had much opportunity to catch up after Thanksgiving. Nikki had been so excited about the prospect of Randy traveling to Florida with Avery that she'd forgotten to ask more about her friend's holiday. When Avery turned around, scanning the floor for something, Nikki caught sight of the front of her tight black t-shirt with Ambrose Asylum emblazoned across the front in white.

"Excuse me, what is _that_?" She pointed.

"Relax yourself," Avery laughed. "PR told me to wear it."

Nikki understood the reasoning but it was still an odd sight. She didn't have time to dwell on it. They were due at the convention center in an hour and they had things to talk about. Her conversation with Nattie on Monday night had sparked somewhere around a thousand questions and Nikki needed to get them all out.

Avery finished off a mug of tea and then picked up her phone, "I was starting to worry you weren't going to make it on time."

"How come you never told me the truth about you and Claudio?"

Hazel eyes shot open and Avery coughed, setting her mug down, "What?"

"Nattie told me you guys were a thing," Nikki explained. "Claudio told TJ and he told her."

"So you and TJ and Nattie think it's a good idea to discuss my personal life?" Avery's brow furrowed as she put her hands on her hips.

"Okay, don't get on your high horse with me. I'm your friend, you don't have a personal life as far as I'm concerned," Nikki declared. "If you have a problem, take it up with Nattie. She's the one who came to me to gossip. I didn't tell anyone else. Not even Brie."

Avery was still visibly perturbed and Nicole didn't doubt that she would actually take it up with Nattie when she had the chance.

"Am I supposed to thank you for not telling Brie something that has nothing to do with either of you?" Avery questioned. "Why are you even asking me about this?"

"Because you told me nothing happened," Nikki shrugged. "And because I always thought Jon was batshit crazy to say that you cheated on him."

"I didn't _cheat_, Nicole," Avery insisted. "But…I also didn't handle things very well and I didn't tell you about it because I'm not exactly proud of it. Paige and Kevin were the only people I told…And Jon."

"_Jon_ knows?" Nikki stared. "What?"

"Yes," Avery sighed "he knows."

"Well now there are more people who know," Nikki began to feel guilty for broaching the subject. "I told Nattie not to tell anyone else but…It's Nattie."

"Of course," Avery rolled her eyes. "We have to go. I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"Okay," the brunette respected her friend's wishes, raising her hands in surrender. "I'm sorry I said anything."

Avery walked past her toward the door and Nicole grabbed her arm, "Hey…you know you can always tell me anything. I wouldn't have judged you."

She nodded, "I'll keep that in mind."

They went downstairs to Avery's rental car in silence and they were on the road before either of them spoke again.

"I'm sorry," Nicole sighed. "I didn't think that you would get mad about me asking."

Avery was such an open book about most things, she just figured they would talk about it and laugh it off.

Avery let out a long sigh, "It's okay. I'm not mad at you. I just get a little defensive about it. I'm beginning to realize that I am a colossal screw up when it comes to my love life."

"Oh honey, we're all screw up when it comes to that," Nikki laughed. "I spend a lot of time wondering if I'm making the right choices."

"So that's not just me?" Avery laughed.

"No, of course not, stupid. At least you don't have a twin trying to convince you that your man doesn't really love you."

"At least you didn't just try to kiss your ex-boyfriend," Avery blurted.

Nikki's eyes popped out like a cartoon. Avery kept hers focused on the road, biting her bottom lip.

"You. Did. Not," Nikki scolded.

"Well I didn't actually try to kiss him but…we definitely came very close to kissing," Avery sighed. She winced as she added, "Twice."

"Are you insane?" the brunette spat.

"Obviously, I am," Avery nodded.

"Details. When, why, how?" Nikki demanded. "Right now."

* * *

"A-Town says they're walking in now," Joe tucked his phone into his back pocket.

"Oh sure, she texts you," Jon groaned. They were supposed to be starting their signing in 10 minutes and the girls were running late.

"Of course I texted him. Your phone is probably dead."

Jon turned when he heard Avery's voice and found her holding the door open for Nikki. Seeing her clad in his shirt, her long legs stretching from a short, red skirt made his heart rate speed up a few clicks. There was something so enticing about her having his name across her chest, even if it wasn't his real name.

"Nice shirt A-Town," Joe laughed.

"Not my choice, believe me," Avery smirked.

"You love it and you know it, woman," Jon pointed at her. "You've never looked better."

She rolled her eyes, walking over and giving Joe a hug, "Are we starting on time?"

"Yeah, they said they'd send a runner when they're ready for us," Joe answered. "There's supposed to be two tables, one for me and Nikki and one for you guys."

"Why aren't the girls together?" Nikki looked perturbed. "That's what we usually do."

"Don't know," Jon shrugged. "That's just how they told us it's going to be."

"Probably came from PR," Joe suggested. "Gotta keep the new golden couple together."

"I just think it's weird," The Bella crossed her arms. "I mean, wouldn't it be more important to keep the Shield Bros together?"

"Please don't call us the Shield Bros," Joe requested.

"I don't know, I kinda like it," Avery teased.

Jon couldn't help but wonder why Nikki cared so much. She didn't have a problem with Joe so he was left to assume she didn't like the other part of the equation. Had Avery said something that would make her friend worry about the two of them simply sitting at the same table?

A young man popped into the room carrying several drinks. He handed Joe and Nikki bottles of water. There was a piping hot cup of black coffee for Jon and tea for Avery.

"Oh thank you," Avery smiled gratefully. "This is perfect."

"Mr. Ambrose told us what to get you," the young man pointed at Jon. She turned to him with a smile and he shrugged.

"So the lines are a little longer than we anticipated. We're just working on getting everyone organized and then we'll bring you out. Give us another 15-20 minutes. Is there anything else I can get you while you wait?"

"I'm good with this," Avery wrapped both hands around her tea.

"It's probably too early to ask for a glass of champagne so I'm fine," Nikki opened her water bottle.

"Thanks man," Joe said. "Just let us know when you're ready for us."

Avery and Jon both chose the same couch to sit on and his eyes drifted to her legs as she kicked off her shoes and moved to sit on her heels, causing her skirt to inch up her thighs. He cleared his throat, forcing his eyes in another direction and finding Nikki with a disapproving look fixed on them.

Testing his suspicions, he draped his arm over the back of the couch, his fingers stopping centimeters from Avery's shoulder. Avery didn't seem to notice as she was typing out a text on her phone.

Nikki walked over, plopping down on the couch between them and holding up her phone, "Avery, take a picture with me."

* * *

Rami hung a towel around his shoulders, sweat dripping off of his nose. Kevin was working both of them to the bone in preparation for his NXT debut.

"Wanna take a break?" Kevin laughed through his heavy breathing, sitting in the corner of the ring with his arms draped over the bottom rope.

"We both need to take a break," Rami jumped down from the ring apron. "This is not how I want to die."

Kevin retrieved their water bottles, handing Rami's over.

"So I talked to Avery this morning," Rami announced, tentatively broaching the subject. "I tried to convince her to talk to you."

"I don't remember asking you to do that," Kevin glared.

"You didn't," Rami sighed. "But I know you both pretty well and I know it's gonna take someone to intervene."

"We're adults," Kevin said. "We'll work it out."

"There's maybe one whole adult between the two of you," Rami simplified. They were both intelligent and talented but they could be _wildly_ immature when they were angry. "And she's not going to talk to you until you apologize."

"I don't have anything to apologize for," Kevin shrugged. "So that's gonna be a problem."

Rami scoffed, "You are such an asshole sometimes."

"Why?" Kevin returned. "Why am I an asshole for protecting her from that guy? _He_ is the asshole here, not me."

"You know it's not an exclusive title, right?" Rami questioned. "You can both be assholes. In fact, you are."

"It's not the same," Kevin shook his head, "And don't think I didn't notice you being all chummy with him on Thanksgiving you little traitor."

"I'm chummy with everyone," Rami insisted. "And Avery is my friend. If she wants peace, I'll make peace."

"Oh spare me that pacifist bullshit," Kevin waved. "I'm never going to be okay with that guy."

Rami sighed, running his towel over his face, "How is it that you can be so loyal to someone and still refuse to do what they ask you to?"

"I am being loyal by looking out for her even when she doesn't look out for herself," Kevin argued.

Rami's phone started buzzing on top of his gym bag and they both looked over at the screen. He saw Paige's name and his lip twitched into a smile.

"We're gonna finish this conversation later," he pointed at his best friend, picking up the phone.

He started to walk away, trying to pick up the call before he missed it.

"Really?" Kevin called after him. "She saw you naked once and now you just drop a conversation to talk to her?"

* * *

"My hands are cramping," Avery flexed her fingers as they walked out to the parking area. The signing had gone long by almost an hour because the lines were so long. She couldn't even begin to count how many autographs she signed. About halfway through, they had to stop allowing pictures so that they could get through the crowd faster. The highlight of the event was when a young girl asked to marry Jon. It may have been the cutest thing that any of them had ever seen. Avery made them paper rings and officiated a very short ceremony.

"You gotta learn to shorten your signature," Joe advised. "R squiggle, R squiggle. My hands feel just fine."

"Thank you for that advice," Avery laughed as they reached their rental cars. They two pairs managed to park next to each other without knowing it. She felt her stomach growling and she pressed her hand to it, hoping no one else heard. She was ravenously hungry after skipping breakfast and if she didn't get something in her stomach soon, there was significant danger of her turning into a rage monster. She put on her sunglasses, looking around, "Is there anywhere to eat around here?"

"That's a great question," Jon squinted against the sun. "I am starving."

"I had a big breakfast," Nikki announced.

"Me too," Joe agreed.

"You always have a big breakfast," Avery scoffed.

"That's because I know how to start my day off right," Joe smiled proudly.

Jon bumped Avery's elbow with his, "You want to just ride with me?"

"And why would I want to do that?" she looked up at him, surprised by the suggestion.

"Because I've been listening to your stomach growl for the last hour," he smirked. "And because Carano said he wants us to be seen together."

"We can just get you something on the way to the arena," Nikki suggested.

Nikki shot her a look and Avery understood the meaning but she didn't think it was warranted. It was just lunch.

"He is right," she looked at her good friend. "Carano did say that."

"Come on," Jon casually slung his arm over her shoulder. "I'll buy you a cheeseburger."

"I'm not eating bread or dairy until after the Muscle and Fitness shoot," she pouted. She missed cheese. A burger sounded amazing.

"Fine, I'll buy you some fish and vegetables and you can watch me eat a cheeseburger," he laughed.

She looked over at Nicole, "You don't mind riding with Joe, do you?"

The brunette's eyebrows were up to her hairline as she looked at the two of them standing together, "I don't mind riding with Joe at all but...are you sure that this is a good idea?"

"Nikki, relax," Jon chuckled, reaching behind him to open the passenger side door of his rental car. "I'm taking her to lunch. Not kidnapping her."

"You guys go," Avery offered a reassuring smile. "We'll see you there."

* * *

Eva dragged her bag behind her, not inclined to hide her annoyance as she headed to the women's locker room. Once again, she wasn't on the card. She was beginning to wonder why they even told her to show up anymore. Total Divas finished before Thanksgiving and yet she was still required to show up to tapings and sit around doing nothing.

When she walked in, Nattie was holding court with Trinity and CJ.

"I don't buy for one second that _nothing_ happened while she was still Ambrose," Nattie declared and Eva's interest was piqued. She could only be talking about one person.

"Okay, you don't know Avery," CJ pointed, supremely annoyed. "I do. And she would never cheat. That's just not her."

"Oh but she would sleep with Claudio like five minutes after they broke up?" Nattie asked, incredulous. "CJ, really.."

"I don't care how long she waited," CJ argued. "She got cheated on. She could've gone out and banged Claudio that night and she would have been well within her rights."

"They've always been so touchy feely," Nattie ignored CJ's dispute. "It makes so much sense now."

CJ had smoke coming out of her ears. She looked as angry as she did when Rusev lost a match.

"What do you think?" Nattie turned to Eva.

The redhead wasn't expecting to be asked but she shrugged, "I…I don't know. It doesn't exactly sound innocent."

CJ's eyes snapped to her and Trinity put her hands up, "Listen, I don't think we should be talking about this when Avery isn't even here to defend herself."

"She doesn't need to defend herself," CJ insisted. "And this is none of your business anyway."

CJ's heels clicked as she stormed out, bumping Eva's shoulder on the way.

* * *

"You didn't actually _have_ to eat a cheeseburger in front of my face," Avery said as Jon opened the car door for her. He'd always been extremely chivalrous with her. She never seemed to be able to touch a door in his presence.

They had a good time together at lunch. They drove toward the arena until they found a place. Once there, he ordered a cheeseburger that looked absolutely mouthwatering while she ate a kale salad with grilled chicken. It was filling but she was jealous. After they finished eating they stayed for a while, people watching and talking about work.

"I wasn't going to but then that the waitress said the burgers were what they were known for," he shrugged. "Plus, I kinda liked the way you were staring at me when I ate it."

He closed the door and she leaned her back against the car, "I was looking at the burger, not you."

The corner of his mouth twitched up into a cocky smirk and he stood in front of her, "We'll have to agree to disagree on that."

It wasn't fair for him to look at her like that. His teeth caught his bottom lip and her ability to think clearly waivered for a moment. Nikki was probably right. The two of them going off on their own may not have been the best idea. They'd just agreed, not 24 hours earlier, that they were just friends, nothing more. They made it through lunch just fine. Now he had her backed up against a car and she was questioning everything again. She was looking at his lips even though there was a voice in her brain screaming for her to look anywhere else.

"Whatever you say," she rolled her eyes. She crossed her arms as if shielding herself from his magnetism. This was going downhill fast.

"Remind me to thank whoever gave you that shirt," his eyes drifted downward.

"Next time it'll be someone showing up at _your_ room with _my_ shirt," she informed him with her own smirk.

"You could just give it to me yourself," he suggested, putting his hands in his pockets. She wasn't sure if he'd stepped closer or if she'd just realized how close he actually was. She blinked, keeping her eyes closed half a second longer than normal, trying to clear her mind. This was Jon.

Ex-Boyfriend.

No Backsliding.

When she looked back up at him, she imagined ice water running through her veins, like an internal cold shower.

She cocked her head to the side, narrowing her eyes at him, "Stop trying to flirt with me, Good."

"I don't know what you're talking about," he gave her the most innocent look he could manage.

"We should go inside," she pushed herself away from the car, deliberately bumping his shoulder with hers. "Come on."

He retrieved their bags from the trunk, shrugging her off when she tried to take hers. He followed close behind her and they checked in with security. When they reached the women's locker room, she turned to him, "I can take it from here."

"Thanks for hanging out with me," he smiled, handing over her bags.

"Your week is made," she smiled. "You're welcome."

He reached out, pinching her cheek and she laughed, slapping his hand away, "_Bye_, Good."

"Later Av," he called over his shoulder as he made his exit. She walked into the locker room dragging her things with her. She'd barely made it inside the door when CJ was in her face.

"I am so glad you're here," the blonde grabbed her by the shoulders. "I need to talk to you. You will not believe the conversation I got sucked into before you got here."

* * *

"What the hell is wrong with you?"

Claudio stormed into the locker room, wrenching his friend's shirt into his fists.

"Whoa, whoa," TJ created some space, pushing his hands on Claudio's chest. "What's your problem?"

"My problem?" Claudio sneered. "My _problem_ is that I just heard Cody and Mizanin talking about me and Avery sleeping together."

TJ cringed and Claudio shoved him away. He was angry but they both knew he wouldn't hit him. That didn't change the fact that he wanted to.

"You told Nattie," Claudio pointed.

"Okay, yes, I did," the shorter man admitted. "And I'm sorry."

"I told you about Avery in confidence."

"I know," TJ insisted. "I just…Nattie was concerned about how you were acting."

"She wasn't _concerned_," Claudio spat. "She wanted something to gossip about. You gave her what she was looking for and now people are talking about Avery being a cheater."

"I'm sure it's not that big of a deal," TJ attempted reasoning. "I mean, she and Ambrose aren't together anymore so who cares, right?"

"I care," Claudio spoke through clenched teeth. "The entire reason that I never spoke about this before was that I didn't want her to have to deal with this. You know how rumors spread around here."

TJ sighed, "I'm sorry, man. I really didn't think that Nattie would tell anyone."

"Then apparently you don't know your wife very well," Claudio shook his head. "Because she ran and told anyone who would listen."

"I'll figure out a way to fix it," TJ offered eagerly. "I'll…I don't know exactly how yet but I'll take care of it."

"Don't bother," Claudio put his hands up. "I think you've done enough."

* * *

Jon was only half listening as Jamie reviewed the script with him, Booker, and Avery. He had the general idea of what he was supposed to say but Avery was drawing his attention. She was standing across from him, listening to Jamie and stretching out her arms. She'd mentioned earlier at lunch that her shoulders were feeling tight. He was tempted to offer to help her take care of it but he resisted the urge. He was trying to stick to their agreement. He understood her reasoning. Intellectually, he knew that it probably wasn't the best idea for them to get involved again. The problem was that he couldn't change the surge of attraction he felt when he looked at her. She tried to hide it but he could see that she was feeling it too. Nikki being ready to fight tooth and nail to keep them apart spoke volumes. She wouldn't have tried so hard unless Avery had given her a reason to think something might happen. And that meant that, whether she admitted it or not, she was feeling the same thing he was.

"Make sense?" Jamie asked and Jon fully tuned back into the conversation.

"Got it," Jon nodded.

"I'm totally confused, explain it all to me again," Avery teased and Jamie rolled his eyes.

"Booker's gonna come in from behind Avery," Jamie directed the hall of famer to head out of frame as the cameraman finished setting up.

Avery twirled the end of her French braids around her index fingers.

"Why do you like messing with him so much?" Jon asked. Her love for antagonizing Jamie began long before the writers started incorporating it into her on screen character.

"Because he makes it so easy," Avery shrugged. "And because I need the distraction right now."

Jon wanted to ask why but they got the cue to start so it would have to wait.

"Listen, I know this is gonna seem weird coming from me but after Monday…I think you might be a little crazy," he smirked at Avery.

"Trust me, Ambrose, I am more than little crazy," Avery declared. "I just can't wait to get my hands on Paige. And that little _snake_ Rollins. If he gets in my business one more time, I swear he is going to regret it."

"You need to leave Rollins to me sweetheart," he advised. "I know he's been pissing you off for a few weeks but I think I win in the contest for who gets to put that dog down."

"Fair enough," Avery crossed her arms, looking mildly disappointed. "Maybe just save a tiny piece for me."

"I'll think about it," he laughed.

"If you won't do that, at least promise me you'll make him suffer," she countered.

"That I can do," he pointed.

"Just the two people I've been looking for," Booker walked into frame, standing between them.

"She did it," Jon pointed at Avery.

Avery gave a nonchalant half shrug, "Chances are pretty good that I did it."

"I have no idea what you two are talking about," Booker chuckled. "I was looking for you because I want to tell you about your match tonight."

"Our match?" Jon pointed between himself and Avery.

Booker nodded, "Since you didn't get the match you were supposed to have on Monday night, I decided to give you a make up. You two are taking on Seth Rollins and Paige. And the winners of tonight's match will get to decide the stipulation for your individual matches at TLC."

"Sounds good to me," Avery smiled deviously.

"Now before you get too excited, you need to know that if any of you so much as _looks_ at a weapon. You will be disqualified," Booker explained, ending with a pointed look at Avery.

"Oh you're looking at me?" she feigned offense. "Really? With this one right here?"

"We got it. No weapons," Jon put a hand on Avery's shoulder.

"Fine by me. I don't need a weapon," Avery announced. She got a faraway look in her eye as she continued, "I'm gonna twist that bitch into a pretzel and then I'm gonna kick her face off."

She walked out of frame and then Booker gave Jon a concerned look.

Jon shrugged, "She's a little.._wound up_ right now."

Booker nodded, "I can see that."

"Cut," Jamie clapped. "Nice work everybody. Even you Avery."

She blew him a kiss and he shook his head, "You guys have about 45 minutes. This will air right before your match and you already know what to do then."

"We got it," Avery nodded.

Booker excused himself, patting each of them on the back as he made his way down the hall.

Avery started rolling her shoulders once they were alone and Jon frowned down at her. She was normally not a tense person. "You okay Matthews?"

"I assume you haven't heard the day's gossip yet," she put a hand on the back of her neck, rolling her eyes.

"Haven't heard anything," he shrugged, confused. "What's going on now?"

She sighed. Her expression made it clear that she was dreading talking to him about whatever it was.

"Nattie found out about me and Claudio and now she's going around telling everybody under the Sun that I cheated on you with him."

Jon's jaw clenched. He couldn't help his reaction and she clearly noticed because she spoke before he could.

"Jon, I told you the truth," she touched his arm. "I never cheated on you."

"Why is this even coming up right now?" he asked. "All of this shit happened almost a year ago."

"I have no idea," she shook her head. "Believe me, rehashing everything that happened then is _not_ something that I want to do. Kevin throwing it in my face was bad enough. Now I have Nattie, who I've never done anything to, arguing with my friends and telling them I screwed someone behind my boyfriend's back when..."

She trailed off and he knew what she was thinking. She was being accused of cheating and she wasn't the one who did it. On top of that, he got the feeling that she wasn't totally sure that he believed her.

"I know you didn't," he assured her. "And I'm sorry."

She nodded, looking down.

"Why would Nattie even care?" Jon asked.

Avery shrugged, "I really don't know."

He didn't want to assume it was some sort of petty jealousy thing but Avery was at the top of her game and Nattie couldn't touch her. Maybe that was it. Or maybe it was coming from somewhere else. Nattie was married to TJ who had grown extremely tight with Claudio. Maybe Nattie was just repeating what she'd heard straight from the source. He wouldn't put it past Claudio. He was pouting and treating Avery like a stranger. Maybe this was just the next step in his petty behavior.

Avery shifted uncomfortably on her feet, "I uh…I'm gonna go find Paige. I'll meet you before the match."

She walked away quickly and he watched her go, hoping this didn't set them back. He was getting used to having her back in his life and he didn't need this shit coming up and undoing all the progress they made. He knew Avery would never forget what happened, neither of them would, but they wouldn't be able to get past it if it just kept coming up.

He went to the locker room, noticing less than subtle glances in his direction as he walked. He hated that their environment was so childish and gossipy. Nothing could ever be kept under wraps.

By the time he got to his gym bag he was annoyed and ready for his match to start so he could burn off some aggression. Thankfully, there was no one in the room for him to take it out on.

He didn't have much to do to get ready for the show. He was already dressed. He just needed to tape his hands.

The door opened and there he was, the cause of all of the day's drama: Claudio.

Jon looked straight at him but the other man didn't meet his gaze, instead keeping his eyes on what he was doing, pulling his gear out of his gym bag.

"Well if it isn't Gossip Girl himself," Jon couldn't resist saying something. Claudio didn't get to pretend he wasn't there.

Claudio's shoulders sagged and he stood straight, "I'd rather not have this conversation."

"Oh now you don't want to talk?" Jon smirked. "_After_ you told your little friends you fucked my girl while we were still together."

"I never said that," Claudio argued. "That isn't true and I wouldn't lie about that."

"Oh come on," Jon scoffed. "You wouldn't start some shit just to get her attention? We both know that's not true. How many times did you get her riled up so she'd fight with me?"

"I think you did a pretty good job of doing that yourself," Claudio countered. "And why would I have spent all this time telling you that _nothing_ happened just to start a rumor that it did? What kind of sense would that make?"

"I don't know, man," Jon admitted. "But I don't know why it makes sense to you to treat her the way you have lately. She's been desperately trying to make things right with you when she didn't even do anything wrong. You just can't get over the fact that you'll never win. She never wanted you over me and you want people to think she did."

The door opened again and Joe walked in, immediately looking wary upon seeing the two of them talking.

Claudio laughed, "How typical of you to make this about you. Never mind how embarrassing this must be for Avery. She is the one who was actually cheated on. Or did you forget that?"

If one more person reminded him that he cheated he was going to blow a gasket. He knew he did it. He regretted it from the moment it happened but he couldn't fucking change it. His hands clenched into fists but he forced them to stay at his sides.

"You want to hear the real truth, Good, here it is; I tried," Claudio laughed. "I tried so hard to convince Avery that I was the better choice. I tried to kiss her while you were still together. All of the things you complained about, the hugging, the touching, all of the phone calls…You were right. I was _absolutely_ trying to get her away from you and I don't feel one bit of remorse for it because you never deserved her to begin with."

Jon's nostrils flared and Joe was between them before he could blink.

"That's enough," Joe pushed them apart. He turned to Claudio, "Take a walk."

* * *

Randy looked around as he walked through the back halls of the arena, trying to catch sight of Avery. He'd been looking for her to make sure she knew he got his flight changed so that they could head to Orlando together. He tried to find her when he got to the arena but Nikki, very reluctantly, explained that she was at lunch with Jon. Nikki had been apprehensive about telling him but he explained to her that he didn't care. Avery was an adult. She was allowed do whatever she wanted. He and Avery both repeatedly explained to Cena and Nikki that there wasn't anything serious between them. Randy couldn't understand what part of that was confusing to them.

Soon enough, he found her, doing her usual stretching routine, headphones hanging around her neck.

"There you are," he smiled. "I've been looking for you."

She stopped, slowly straightening up and eyeing him with a wary expression, "You have?"

"I have," he laughed, confused by her demeanor. "I just wanted to tell you I got the flight all set for tonight. The one you were on was only half full so it wasn't a problem at all."

"That's all you wanted?" she raised an eyebrow and he nodded.

"Was I supposed to want something else?"

She took a deep breath, letting out a soft chuckle, "I'm sorry Randy. I'm just on edge today."

"Any particular reason?" he questioned.

"If you don't already know, I'd honestly rather not talk about it," she admitted.

"Fair enough," he shrugged. If she didn't want to talk he wasn't going to push. He trusted that if it had anything to do with him, she'd say so. "You don't have to say anything. It's none of my business."

She looked surprised at his reaction and the smile on her face conveyed pure relief, "You better be careful. You're saying all the right things today."

"I'm good for things like that," he smirked, putting an arm around her shoulders and guiding her back toward production. Her match would be up soon. "I'll be your drama free zone."

She smiled up at him, "I like the sound of that."

* * *

Avery slapped on the turnbuckle, keeping the crowd in the match and cheering on her partner as he tangled with Colby in the ring. All thoughts of drama from earlier were behind her. She was in her happy place; working in front of the fans. Paige threw a forearm, hitting Jon in the back of the neck when Colby whipped him into the corner. That was Avery's cue. She jumped down from her corner, storming over to the Brit. The story they were telling was that Jon and Avery were struggling to keep their cool and avoid being disqualified as Paige, Seth, and J&amp;J provoked them. Avery grabbed Paige's ankle and pulled back, bringing her down off of the ring apron. The women threw blows at each other and then Paige got the upper hand, whipping Avery into the timekeeper's area. Avery just barely managed to keep from falling but she furiously pulled the timekeeper out of his chair, picking the chair up and slapping the seat up, heading straight for Paige. She could hear the announcers yelling that she would be disqualified, per Booker's orders and she looked up to see Colby grabbing the ref, trying to alert him of her actions. Avery widened her eyes in panic and quickly tossed the chair to her best friend, who caught it perfectly. The referee turned around in time to see Paige standing with the chair and he called for the bell.

Paige screamed at the ref as Avery's music played and the ring announcer declared the babyface team the winners. Jon rolled out of the ring excitedly and grabbed Avery, tossing her over his shoulder. She squealed, laughing as he ran around the side of the ring. She waved at Jamie who was angrily trying to get out of his suit jacket.

The crowd went wild and Paige and Colby were still yelling in the ring when one of the ringside production guys brought a microphone their way. Jon put Avery down, keeping his arm draped over her shoulders. He'd done most of the work in their match so he was understandably winded. Running around with her on his shoulder probably hadn't helped but it was certainly fun for her. Colby leaned over the top rope, shouting in their direction.

"Rollins," Jon spoke into the mic in his gravelly tone. "When you finish throwing your little temper tantrum, you better get ready. Because in at TLC, it's gonna be you and me and a whole bunch of tables…ladders…and chairs."

Jon tossed the mic upward, unintentionally coming very close to hitting Colby in the face.

* * *

_1AM_

Randy carried their bags into Avery's house while she pressed the button to close her garage door.

"You got all that?" she questioned.

"That's insulting," he quipped "I've got it. You can hop on too if you want."

"That's an interesting offer," she laughed, scooting past him to lead the way. They walked through the kitchen where she tossed her keys on the island and then showed him into the living room. She had two very comfortable looking gray couches and a big white chair with gray polka dots. On the wall behind one of the couches, she'd hung two columns of various title belts. Some of them he recognized, some he didn't. They all had her name on them.

"Not bad," he smirked, turning to her.

"I'm not lying when I say I'm the best," she shrugged. He liked the cocky side of her, reminded him of himself.

"I'm gonna grab the mail," she walked to the front door, stepping out onto the front porch.

Something caught the corner of his eye and he turned, looking at a strange contraption hanging from the ceiling. There were several drapes of black fabric and what looked almost like foot pedals.

"Is this a sex swing?" he turned to her.

"No, you perv," she came back inside, slapping him on the arm. "It's a yoga swing."

She learned her head on his arm, "It does kinda look like a sex swing though."

"Wanna see if it works like one?"

"Maybe in the morning," she laughed, walking turning to walk away. He followed her into the kitchen, watching her bend over to pull out to water bottles.

He was tired after a long day but looking at her awakened his senses. When she stood up, he turned her around, pulling her into a searing kiss. She moaned as he trailed his lips down her neck, pulling up her shirt.

"I thought you wanted to go to bed," she spoke, gasping when his tongue touched the perfect spot just below her ear.

He smiled, turning her around, "I did but the kitchen works just fine."

* * *

Kevin flipped on his turn signal, turning his head uncomfortably, trying to relieve the crick in his neck. It had been sore for days thanks to his lovely wife making him sleep on the couch. She was still pissed at him for everything that happened on Thanksgiving and their hideously uncomfortable couch was her way of making him pay. He couldn't do it for another night. He was dead tired, he had a shit ton to do the following day and he needed some real sleep. When he got back home the next day he would give her flowers and make her dinner and do all of the other things that usually got him out of the dog house.

He parked in Avery's driveway, grabbing his gym bag from the passenger seat. He was going to sleep in her guest room since he know she wouldn't be home. He would have gone to Rami's, which was closer, but then he'd have to deal with Rami and he wasn't in the mood to have his ear talked off. When he got to the front door, alarm bells starting firing off in his head. The door was cracked open.

"Shit," he whispered, setting his bag down quietly. He picked up a small gardening shovel that was stuck in the ground by the stairs and then crept up the stairs, pushing the door open. He heard noise in the kitchen and he rushed in with the shovel up, ready to strike.

Instead of the criminals he expected to find, he saw something much, much worse.

"Oh come on!" he yelled, turning around with lighting quickness. Avery was up on the counter; thankfully her back was to him because she didn't have a stitch of clothing on above the waist. He saw tattooed arms so he could only assume that Randy was her companion.

"Kevin!" Avery shrieked. "What the hell?!"

He could hear them shuffling around as he tried to shake off the willies. Avery harshly whispered, asking where her shirt was and neither of them could seem to find it.

"Jesus, just give her yours," Kevin bellowed. What kind of guy didn't just offer up his own shirt?

"What are you doing here?" Avery asked.

"I can't speak to you if you're naked," he shook his head. "It's too gross."

"I have a shirt on, you can turn around," she sighed.

"Oh don't act all put out because _I_ got traumatized," he turned, rolling his eyes at the sight of her in Randy's stupid Viper shirt.

"Kevin, Randy, Randy, Kevin," Avery awkwardly introduced them.

Randy held out his hand and Kevin ignored it, "We've met, actually. You weren't defiling one of my friends at the time so maybe you don't remember it."

Randy looked unsure of what to say and Avery's expression was one of utter mortification.

"You left the door open," Kevin explained his presence.

"I must not have closed it when I checked the mail," she ran a hand through her hair. "What are you doing here?"

"Nevermind what I'm doing here, what are you doing here?" he asked. "Aren't you supposed to be on the road?"

"I'm home for a few days doing work at the PC," she answered.

Kevin turned his eyes to Randy, waiting for an explanation as to why he was there.

Randy looked mildly annoyed, "Do you always barge into your friend's houses like this?"

"I do when I think someone broke in," Kevin shrugged.

"Kevin, it's late," Avery said, her tone sharp. "_What_ are you doing here?"

He didn't bother to answer and she rolled her eyes, "Well you obviously aren't here to apologize, since you didn't know I would be here."

"I wasn't planning on it," he admitted. They looked each other in the eye, clearly at a stalemate.

* * *

Avery's ground her teeth as she glared at her friend. She wanted to punch him but she knew he would just put her in a headlock and though she was faster, he was stronger and she didn't want to wrestle with him when she couldn't even find her bra.

Randy looked back and forth between them, confusion etched into his features.

"Listen, I don't know what this is about but this is Avery's house so maybe you should show a little respect and just answer her question," Randy suggested.

Avery wished he hadn't said that.

"This is a family conversation," Kevin turned to him. "Maybe you should just stay out of it."

"Okay that is enough," Avery snapped. "I am not in the mood for this. Steen, tell me why you're at my house in the middle of the night or so help me, I will call Jess and wake her up and she will make you tell me."

Kevin clenched his jaw before finally uttering an admission, "I came to crash in your extra room. Just for the night."

"She's still mad at you, isn't she?" she asked. Of course she was. Jessica knew right from wrong, unlike her husband.

"Yep," he nodded.

Avery had half a mind to turn him out onto the street but she couldn't. It was late and one night wasn't going to kill her. She tapped her toe against the ground a few times before looking back to Kevin.

She jerked her thumb in the direction of the spare room and his shoulders sagged in relief, "Thank you."

She rolled her eyes as he walked past her, shooting Randy a dirty look on his way out of the kitchen.

"Your friends are…intense," Randy observed.

"That's a good way to describe them," she agreed. He probably thought they were all crazy. He wouldn't be wrong if he did. "I'm sorry, this has to be very weird for you."

"It's not exactly the night I planned," he laughed. "What are you two fighting about?"

"Hmm?" she raised her eyebrows, stupidly unprepared for his question. She wasn't exactly sure how to explain that.

"You said something about Kevin owing you an apology," he reminded her. "What'd he do?"

"It's a…family thing," she shrugged. "It'll blow over."


	22. Head Games

Loud buzzing disrupted Avery's peaceful slumber and she put a hand over her ear, trying to block out the sound. She was lying in an oddly comfortable position with her head on Randy's stomach, his hand on the small of her back, and her left foot dangling off the edge of the bed and she feared that if she moved, she would never be able to get back into the exact same pose. The buzzing persisted; whoever was calling apparently didn't plan on giving up. Annoyed, she rolled over to grab her phone. When she saw the name on her screen she had blinked twice to make sure her tired eyes weren't playing tricks on her.

_Claudio_

She shot out of bed, tripping on the sheets and rushing out of the bedroom, careful to be quiet when she closed the door behind her.

"Hello?" she answered, hoping he was still there.

"Good morning," he sounded surprised, like he didn't expect her to answer.

She smiled, thinking of when he used to call her every morning, sometimes just to say that, "Good morning."

"Did I wake you?"

"No," she spoke quietly, creeping slowly down the stairs, attempting to avoid waking Kevin. "I've been up for like 5 whole minutes."

"So I did wake you," he chuckled quietly. "I'm sorry. You're normally up this early."

"I got in really late last night," she explained. "Don't worry about it, I needed to get up soon anyway."

She walked into the kitchen and flipped on her electric tea kettle. There was a piece of paper tucked under it. She recognized Kevin's handwriting.

_Headed out early. Thanks for the shelter. Talk soon?_

She would consider that later.

"Do you have time to talk?" Claudio asked.

"Of course," she answered. "I'm really glad you called. I'm so-"  
"Avery, please," he cut her off. "I have some things I want to say."

She stopped talking, opening the back door and stepping out into the backyard.

"I apologize for the way I've been treating you," he sighed. "You don't deserve to be treated that way."

She opened her mouth to speak but he continued.

"I've been jealous. When I found out about you and Randy, I got angry and I didn't know how else to deal with you," he admitted. "But it's not fair. You've been honest with me about where we stand so I don't have any right to be angry with you. I'm sorry."

"It's okay," she said quickly. He didn't have to explain this to her. She knew why he was angry and she understood it. She didn't like it but she got it. Maybe it was because she'd once been in his position, years ago with a guy that couldn't give her everything she wanted from him. She knew those feelings, how much they hurt.

"And I swear to you, I did not start these rumors going around again," he insisted. "I would never have told Nattie about us. I obviously shouldn't have told TJ."

"I know you didn't start it," she assured him. "I don't love that you confided in the husband of someone who irrationally dislikes me but…I can't regulate who you talk to about your life. Don't worry about it."

"I do worry about it. I don't want your reputation to be hurt by this."

Avery didn't appreciate being called a cheater but she knew that there would be people who believed her and people who didn't and she couldn't concern herself with it.

"Let people think what they want," she shrugged. "Someone will do something or some_one_ interesting soon and they'll forget all about it. All I care about is whether or not you're still mad at me."

* * *

Randy searched the cabinets in Avery's kitchen, amazed. She didn't have any coffee. None.

She was beautiful, sexy, funny, he could go on and on but he had to question the sanity of a person who didn't have coffee in their house.

The only caffeinated thing he could find was black tea and he wasn't particularly interested in it. Tea was essentially dirty water.

Her tea kettle was shooting steam up into the air and he sighed deeply, deciding dirty water would have to do until he could go to Starbucks. He was tired. His back was killing him and he'd had a hard time getting to sleep. He tried to convince Avery that the only way he could get to sleep was if she wore him out but she was adamantly against the idea of having sex with Kevin in the house.

He did not understand that relationship. All the talk about 'family things' and Kevin's completely unwarranted animosity toward him was confusing. Avery told him they were close but seeing them together was like watching actual, biological siblings ready to go to war. He was curious about what caused the rift but he wasn't going to push it.

He made himself a cup of tea, hoping that if he used two of the bags it would somehow taste better. She also didn't have any sugar.

He turned, leaning against the counter, watching her through the backdoor. She stood in the back yard on the phone, still wearing his t-shirt. He knew it was a cliché but he was the type of guy who loved seeing a woman in his clothes. He also loved seeing Avery out of his clothes and pretty much any other way he could get her. She was a dangerous woman. He couldn't seem to get enough of her. He looked at the clock on the wall, wondering how long they had before she needed to leave.

She turned but didn't seem to see him as she opened the door, coming back into the kitchen.

"I've missed you too. I'll see you later this week."

He drank some of his tea, waiting for her to notice him. He wasn't easy to miss.

"Jesus!" she jumped when she turned and spotted him, almost dropping her phone. She pressed it back to her ear, "I'm fine. Just startled. I'll talk to you later."

She pressed a hand to her chest as she hung up the phone, glaring when Randy laughed at her. He'd never heard her Tennessee accent more than when she yelled just then.

"You scared the hell out of me," she breathed.  
"I'm just standing here, how is that scary?" he smirked.

She grabbed a white and gold striped mug and a canister that he hoped for a moment might be coffee. When she opened it, his shoulders sagged. Just more tea. He watched as she pulled out a small silver contraption, filling it with tea leaves.

"So who do you miss?" he asked.

"What?" she asked, her voice raspier than usual, as it always was in the morning.

"Whoever you were talking to, you said you missed them," he reminded her.

"Oh," realization dawned on her. "That was uh..that was just Jess. I called to make sure she and Kevin made up."

There was something off in her expression when she responded but he attributed it to her concentrating on what she was doing.

"Did they?"

"They will," she shrugged. "Jessica can never stay mad at him for too long. She truly is a saint."

"I would think you'd have to be to live with that guy," Randy laughed, putting down his cup. He couldn't drink anymore. Two bags was a bad idea.

"Watch yourself, Orton," she looked up at him, her expression one of warning. "I can say whatever I want about Kevin. You can't."

"Noted," he held his hands up in surrender. "Do you want to go out for breakfast? I need coffee."

"I can't be out for too long," she offered up. "And you take the longest showers of anyone I've ever seen."

"I already showered," he chuckled. "Although I could go for another one if you're interested."

"I do like that idea," she stood close to him, lifted up onto her toes to kiss him. It was a slow, dizzying kiss, her tongue sliding lusciously against his. He pulled her sharply against him, no longer in need of caffeine to wake him. He pulled up the bottom of her shirt, sliding his hand down into the back of her panties.

She pulled away from him, smiling, "I will definitely be late if we keep doing that."

"You can be late," he smiled devilishly. "Just tell them you were with me."

"Oh, I get to pull the Randy Orton card?" she smirked.

"Just this once," he pulled her back by the front of the shirt but he only gave in for a few seconds before pulling away again, "I need to go get dressed. Alone."

He groaned, leaning his head back, "You're a tease."

"You like it," she kissed his chin before turning and sashaying out of the kitchen. He considered following her but he knew she had work to do. If she didn't, there was no way he would have let her out of that kitchen.

She left her phone on the counter, it's buzzing drawing Randy out of the lewd thoughts he was having about what he would do to her when she got back.

She had a message from Claudio

_Thank you for accepting my apology. We're going to get back to the way we should be._

* * *

Avery wiped the sweat from her brow, watching as Ashley finished up her reps on the battle ropes. Ashley was the only woman Avery ever worked out with that could make her feel inadequate in the gym. She was an absolute beast. Avery could keep up but it was tough.

"You are my hero," she breathed as Ashley came over, hitting her hand with a rough high five.

"And you're mine," Ashley hugged her. "I missed your face."

"I know, I missed you too," Avery smiled at her friend. She loved Ashley dearly and desperately wanted her to get called up so they could tear up the world together. She hadn't even planned on working out that night but when Ashley called, she jumped at the chance to see her. When she got there, the NXT star informed her that she would be appearing on Raw Monday night to promote Takeover. Avery was so excited she nearly did a backflip.

"You don't have time to miss me," the blonde laughed. "You're too busy being in the main event on Smackdown."

"It was a tag match, to be fair," Avery shrugged it off. She was always reminding herself not to get too excited about things. She had a long way to go to get to where she wanted to be.

"It was a main event," Ashley pointed. "Don't downplay."

Avery rolled her eyes, making a talking gesture with her hand in Ashley's direction.

They went into the locker room and Avery listened to everything that was going on in Ashley's life as they got changed. They texted every day but when they got together, they both ended up telling each other everything over again and anything else they could think of. She had something in particular that she wanted to talk to her friend about.

"Am I a liar?" she blurted.

Ashley laughed, "Avery! Why would you ask such a stupid question?"

Avery splashed her face with water and grabbed a towel to pat it dry.

"I'm waiting," Ashley tapped her foot impatiently as Avery turned around, leaning against the sink.

"I lied to Randy this morning," Avery admitted. It had been bothering her all day, slowly forming a small but irritating knot in her stomach. "It just came out, Ash. It was so natural, like I do it all the time. I don't even know why I did it."

"What was the lie?" the young Flair asked, sitting down on the bench in front of her.

"Claudio called me this morning to apologize," Avery explained. "I was outside on the phone and when I came in, I was telling Claudio I've missed him. I didn't see Randy in the kitchen."

"Oh good Lord," Ashley sighed.

"He asked who I was talking to and I said it was Jess. I mean, I didn't even think for one second about just telling the truth. How _weird_ is that?"

"Av," Ashley looked her in the eye. "You cannot go down this path again. It's not a good idea."

"What path?" Avery frowned.

Ashley looked at her like she was a child, "You know what I'm talking about. The path where you protect your friendship with Claudio over everything else."

Avery's teeth tugged at her bottom lip.

"It didn't work out very well for you last time," Ashley spoke bluntly.

"That was completely different. You know that."

"Was it?" Ashley questioned. "As long as I've known you, you've held Claudio so close like you're scared you'll lose him but you don't want the same thing he wants. Frankly, it's weird."

That wasn't the first time Ashley described her attachment to Claudio with that particular adjective. Avery didn't see what was so weird about it. Their friendship was important to her. All of her close friendships were important to her.

Ashley sighed, "You know I love you. I just don't want you to get into any drama because of this. Your life is good right now. I'd like for it to stay that way."

"I know," Avery nodded. "I just think you're a little harsh about Claudio."

Ashley shrugged, "Think about it. Why lie? What reason is there to lie about who you were on the phone with?"

"I…" Avery shook her head. "I don't really know. I just…I guess I'm still a little shell shocked from all the stuff with Jon. You saw how he would act whenever I brought Claudio's name up. I don't want to deal with anything like that again."

"Then don't," Ashley said. "But, honey, you can't treat whatever it is you have with Randy the way you would do things with Jon. They're different people, different circumstances. And again, didn't work out so well for you last time."

* * *

_Monday…_

Jon looked down at his breakfast, his head throbbing. He probably shouldn't have had as many beers as he did the night before but Win was the one to blame. They were supposed to be going out for one drink after the show but one quickly spiraled into a dozen. Win insisted that Jon needed it. He was tense after all of the stupid chatter going around. He'd gotten so sick of people staring at him that he stood up on a bench in the locker room to announce to tell everyone to fuck off but Joe pulled him down before he got the words out.

He closed his eyes, trying to will the headache away.

"Sorry I'm late kids," Aaron approached the table, plopping down next to Windham. He pointed across the table at Jon, "What happened to him?"

"He tried to drink away his troubles last night," Win chuckled.

"What troubles?" Aaron questioned.

Joe laughed, shaking his head.

"Oh all this stuff about Avery?" Aaron laughed. "Come on. We all know that Avery would never have cheated on you."

The dual meaning of the statement was not lost on Jon and he tossed a sarcastic 'thanks' across the table.

"It'll blow over," Windham assured him.

"I know," Jon nodded. "I don't want to talk about it anymore. I just want to move on. Again. I was finally getting somewhere and now this shit has to come up again. I tried calling her this weekend. She didn't answer."

"Just give her a little space," Windham advised. "This can't be easy for her to deal with."

"If you were really getting somewhere, this won't change that," Joe spoke while shoveling an enormous forkful of eggs into his mouth.

"I have a feeling things aren't as good as you thought they were," Aaron nodded toward the door.

Jon looked over his shoulder, following Aaron's gaze right to Avery with Randy at her side. Jon's jaw clenched.

"How much does that suck?" Aaron asked.

Windham smacked him on the arm.

"What? Would _you_ want to compete with Randy Orton?" Aaron asked. "He probably gave the girl her first lady boner."

"I'm not competing," Jon argued, turning his attention back to the group.

"That's probably a good idea," Aaron laughed. "Don't take the fight you can't win."

"You're an asshole," Joe pointed at him.

Jon glanced over his shoulder again, watching as a hostess led them to a booth in the opposite corner. As they turned away, Randy's hand slid down Avery's back, stopping on her ass.

Jon stood up, taking a quick drink of his coffee.

"Where are you going?" Win asked.

"To go say hello," Jon shrugged. He'd seen quite enough.

Joe rolled his eyes, putting his napkin down on the table, "I'll come with you."

"I don't need backup," Jon spoke confidently.

"I know, I just want to see what you do," Joe admitted as he got up. They headed straight to the couple's table and Jon smiled at Randy's perturbed expression when they reached the table. When Avery took off her sunglasses, both Jon and Joe were taken aback by a dark bruise around her right eye.

"What the hell happened to you?" Jon questioned, concerned.

"Is there something you need us to take care of A-Town?" Joe questioned, his dark eyes focused on Randy.

Randy laughed, shaking his head, "If she needed something, I would take care of it."

"Down, Joe," Avery commanded. "He didn't do anything."

"Well, as nice as this is, I'm sure you have your own breakfast to get back to," Randy suggested.

"Nonsense," Jon slid into the booth next to Avery. "We came over to hang out with you two crazy kids."

He couldn't tell who looked more annoyed when Joe sat down next to Randy.

"Seriously," he reached up to touch her cheek. "What happened to your face?"

"Eva," she admitted, flinching when his finger brushed her skin. She hooked her finger around his, guiding his hand down to the table.

"Did she punch you?"

"I wish. I at least could have respected that," she rolled her eyes. "We were training at the PC. She fell on me."

As Avery detailed exactly how it happened, Jon rested his arm on the back of their seat, looking across the table at Randy. Jon didn't care what Aaron said about competing with the great _Randy Orton._ Randy had to compete with him. And he clearly wasn't happy about it. His beady blue eyes were fixed on Jon's arm. He looked like he might jump across the table if Jon got any closer to Avery. He would have been upset to know that, under the table, Jon's leg was firmly against hers and she wasn't making any attempt to move away.

"If I have to keep helping her, I may kill her," Avery sighed, resting her chin on her hand. "Or she'll kill me. I'm not sure at this point."

Out of the corner of his eye, Jon spotted two girls huddled close together. They were whispering and pointing at the table and he was sure they would come over soon.

"Excuse me?" one of the girls came over, smiling so hard it probably hurt. He guessed she was around 15 or 16.

"Hi," Avery smiled sweetly at her.

"I'm so sorry to bother you. I'm just such a big fan of all of you and my best friend and I are going to Raw tonight and we saw you over here and I just had to come and say that you're all so amazing."

She just kept going, her face was starting to get red.

"Sweetie, I think you need to breathe," Avery laughed, leaning across Jon and touching her hand.

She giggled, "I'm sorry. I'm just really excited."

"We can tell," Joe laughed.

"Would it be possible to get a picture?" she asked, hesitantly holding up her phone.

"Of course."

"No."

Randy and Avery spoke at the same time with very different answers. Avery gave him a sharp look before turning back to the young woman, "I'll take a picture with you."

"Me too," Jon shrugged, standing up. Avery gave him a confused look as the two of them got out of the booth. He didn't normally like being asked for pictures.

"I'm gonna sit this one out," Joe shook his head.

Avery asked the girl her name and she looked like she was going to start hyperventilating again.

"Grab your friend," Avery instructed. "Let's get her in it too."

Jon draped his arm over her shoulders as the young woman, Stella, grabbed her friend

"What are you doing?" Avery kept a big smile on her face that belied her suspicious tone.

"Nothing," he smiled back, sliding his arm down around her waist. "Just taking a picture."

"Sorry about that."

* * *

Randy smiled at Avery as she slid back into her seat across from him. After the fan got her picture, she pulled Joe out of the booth and the three of them chatted for a few minutes before they headed back to their table. He didn't like the interruption but he could handle it. He wasn't going to let her smug little ex get under his skin.

"It's okay," he put down his menu. "I'm getting used to the invasive nature of the people you hang out with."

"They're a lot," she agreed. "I'm sorry again for the way Kevin acted last week. And for Joe being all menacing just now."

He laughed, thinking back to when he thought Paige disliking him would be the only obstacle with her. How wrong he'd been.

"You don't need to apologize."

Her expression changed and her eyes drifted down to the table, "I do actually. I need to talk to you about something."

"Okay," he sat back, waiting.

She tapped her fingers on the table, staring down at them before looking up at him, biting her bottom lip. She was dreading whatever it was that she had to say.

"I lied to you."

"I'm sorry?"

"At my house, that morning when I came in and you asked who I was talking to and I said it was Jess," she explained. "I was talking to Claudio."

He arched a curious brow at her, not giving away that he already knew.

"Claudio and I had a thing…it's hard to explain," she sighed, rubbing the skin behind her ear.

"Mike texted me something about a rumor that you-"

"That I cheated on Jon with him?" she finished, shaking her head. "I didn't. But I did get involved with him very shortly after we broke up. Anyway, it's over and we're just friends now."

"So then why did you lie?" he asked.

"I don't really know," she admitted with a nervous laugh. "I just didn't know if it would get weird I guess, since you heard me say I missed him. It was dumb and I feel terrible about it. I'm not a liar, I swear."

He laughed, leaning forward on his elbows and taking her hand in his to stop her nervous fidgeting, "I appreciate you telling me the truth. And I know you're not a liar."

"You're not mad?" she looked up at him, eyes wide and hopeful.

"Not at all," he smiled. "And in the future, just remember, I'm not some jealous little kid. You can talk to whoever you want and do whatever you want. You don't need to hide anything. Drama free zone, remember?"

"I do remember," she smiled, getting up on her knees and leaning over the table to kiss him. "Thank you."

* * *

Avery leaned on Colby, listening as Jamie detailed his ideas for their segment for the night. Avery was supposed to interfere in Jon's handicap match against Colby and Joey but no one could agree on how she would do it. They were in catering sitting at a table with Paul and Dean Malenko, trying to come to a consensus.

"It's gotta be something that wouldn't get him DQ'ed," Paul reminded Jamie when he suggested she get a chair. "She wants to help Ambrose as much as she wants to screw Rollins. She wouldn't make him lose."

"Then maybe we just have her distract Seth somehow," Jamie send.

"I could beat up Jamie again," Avery suggested.

Jamie laughed, "Why don't we just have her do something suggestive, bend over or something."

Everyone groaned at the idea.

"What's she gonna say? That she lost a contact?" Jon frowned.

"Why don't I just kiss Colby?" Avery suggested when the idea popped into her head.

"What?" Colby and Jon both looked at her.

"It wouldn't cause a DQ," she suggested. "And it would be a great way to screw with his head."

"With both of their heads," Paul smiled. "You plant one on Rollins and then push him right into Dirty Deeds. Ambrose appreciates the help but gets jealous of the kiss. That's a perfect way to advance the relationship."

"And it helps continue the idea of her being unpredictable," Malenko smiled.

Avery smiled at the appreciation for her idea. She also couldn't help but feel a little amusement at the scowl on Jon's face deepening as he could see the suggestion becoming a reality.

"You have any issue with it?" Paul asked Colby.

"Uh..no," Colby shook his head. "I'll go along with whatever you guys decide."

"I think we should revisit the chair idea," Jon spoke up. "I mean we are going into TLC."

"Your matches are already established," Paul dismissively waved.

"Can't she just punch him while I hold the ref?"

"That seems kind of out of character for both of us," she smiled sweetly at him. "Don't you think so?"

She couldn't help needling him just a little. Call it payback for interrupting her breakfast with Randy.

"You really think kissing Col is the best plan?" his gaze was steely.

She smiled, nodding, "I sure do."

"We're going with the kiss," Paul looked down at his watch. He got up to leave, "Make it look good Avery."

"Don't worry," she smiled, still looking at Jon. "I will."

* * *

Randy followed Paul down the corridor, quickly catching up with the other man, "I need to talk to you."

"Is it important?" Paul asked, not slowing down.

"It's about the card for tonight," Randy explained. "So yes, I think it's pretty important."

When he arrived and saw the match board, he knew he needed to have a conversation with his friend.

"You have a match with Cesaro," Paul said. "You can't be coming to me to complain. You're on the show. Right at the top of the last hour."

"I'm not complaining about the timing," Randy said. "I have a problem with the opponent."  
"Christ," Paul rolled his eyes. "Why? And do not tell me it has anything to do with Avery because I'm not in the mood."

Of course it had to do with Avery. Paul knew him well enough to know that. He wanted to be a big enough person to say that what Avery told him that morning had rolled right off of his back. Unfortunately, he wasn't that guy. He'd been curious about the situation with Claudio from the moment he saw that text in her kitchen. She surprised him by telling the truth and he believed her. Still, that didn't take care of the problem. Now he knew why the other man had been giving him dirty looks. Randy wasn't stupid by any stretch of the imagination. Claudio shooting daggers at him was a clear sign that he could be a problem if he didn't learn his place. Randy needed to make sure that he did.

"I think we can both agree that it's a privilege to work with me, right?" Randy asked.

"Yes, Randy, it is," Paul looked impatient.

"So I don't think that we should be rewarding this guy after the drama he's caused this last week," Randy explained.

"What do you mean he caused it?" Paul questioned.

"The rumors came straight from him," Randy shrugged.

"And how do you know that?"

Randy sighed, "He told Avery. She told me."

That was a blatant lie but he kept his expression even and looked Paul in the eye. Avery was one of his golden children. When Paul got behind someone, he didn't stand for anyone screwing with them.

"Why would he do that?"

"Why would I lie about it?" Randy returned. "Her feelings are hurt. She wouldn't have said anything to you about it but I knew you'd want to know."

Paul's brows drew together in a deep frown and he shook his head, "Damn it. You couldn't have told me this earlier?"

"I looked for you earlier," Randy shrugged. It wouldn't be difficult to change the match. He wasn't working a program with Claudio; he could be switched out for anyone.

"Alright. I'll make a change, let me figure it out. Do not go shouting from the rooftops that you made it happen, you understand?"

"Of course not," Randy put his hands up. "I won't say a word."

He wouldn't need to.

* * *

"I'm so excited for you," Ashley struggled to keep her eyes closed as she got her eyeshadow done. The Slammy Awards were being announced on and on the preshow and Avery won two so far; Maneuver of the Year for the MCS and Social Media Champion. Those weren't the ones Ashley was so excited about though. Paul had just informed them that she would be announced as Diva of the Year. They'd waited until the show started to let the winners of the big awards know what they'd won. Ashley wanted to jump out of her chair and hug her friend but her match was coming up.

"Okay, okay, go hug her," the makeup artist chuckled, stepping aside so Ashley could quickly get up.

Avery shrugged, "I'm surprised they didn't just give it to the Bellas with AJ gone."

"Who cares who they didn't give it to?" Ashley stared. "They're giving it to you."

"It is pretty fucking cool," Avery admitted with a sheepish smile.

"I hear congratulations are in order."

Ashley looked over her shoulder, rolling her eyes when she saw Jon coming their way. They'd never gotten along very well. She told herself she would be nice since Avery had decided to get past what happened but that didn't mean she would be happy to see him. She couldn't say the same for Avery though. Her smile stretched from ear to ear when she saw him. Avery told her there had been some tension between them earlier but it was long gone now. He pulled her into a hug and Avery closed her eyes as he mussed her hair.

"You did good, kid," he rested his chin on top of her head. "You deserve it."

Ashley felt like she'd disappeared from the room.

Jon's hand was on the back of her head and her arms were inside his leather jacket. They'd always had a way of making everyone around them feel like they were intruding on a moment.

"You too," Avery smacked him on the side, looking up at him. "We just heard."

At the end of the night, Jon would be awarded with Superstar of the Year. It was well deserved. He was annoying but he worked his ass off.

"Yeah, congrats," Ashley spoke up.

"Thanks," Jon barely glanced at her before turning back to Avery.

"I'm proud of you, dummy," Avery looked up at him.

Ashley cleared her throat and they both turned to her. Ashley crossed her arms, giving Avery a look, breaking her from the strange trance she'd slipped into. She stepped back from her ex, tucking her hair behind her ears, "I have to get to Gorilla. I'll see you out there."

She patted Jon on the shoulder as she walked away. He turned, watching her leave and Ashley sighed, shaking her head. They were hopeless.

* * *

Jon walked to Gorilla, stopping next to Colby. He didn't want to watch the next segment with Ashley glaring at him and their match would be after the break following. She was standing right by the curtain with Stephanie, Paul, and Paige as a visiting Michelle McCool walked out to announce the Slammy. Michael Hayes was there as well, staring lewdly in the women's direction. He was a creep but Jon couldn't blame him. Avery wore a long sleeved, sheer black top over a lacy black bra, dark, skin tight jeans and her signature red lipstick. He tried not to think about that lipstick being smeared all over Colby later. He looked over at his friend, finding him looking down at the monitor as Michelle introduced a video of the nominees for Diva of the Year. All of the strange feelings between them lately aside, he could do nothing but smile. He was so proud of her. She'd worked so hard for so long and he was glad to see her getting the recognition that she deserved.

When the video ended, Paige's music began and she walked out, attempting to accept the award before Michelle explained that she wasn't the winner. When she announced Avery as the winner the crowd roared and everyone in the back clapped. Avery laughed, looking over her shoulder for a moment. Her eyes caught Jon's and she winked at him before walking through the curtain. Several referees followed her through, staying between her and Paige to keep them apart. Once Paige came through the curtain she rushed around to stand beside Colby and watch the monitor with them.

"Wow," Avery looked down at the Slammy. She waited for the crowd noise to die down a little before she spoke again, "My first night on Raw, I came out here and I introduced myself to AJ Lee and all of you as the best female wrestler in the world…and I guess some of you must agree with me…I have to say thank you to all of the fans who voted and the people that care about women's wrestling. And to those of you who don't care, you need to pay more attention because I have a lot to show you. Thanks again everyone. If you thought this year was good, I promise you, next year will be even better. And Paige…enjoy that championship belt while you still can because at TLC, I'm gonna take it from you. And you will _never_ get it back."

* * *

Randy leaned back in his chair, watching as Colby whipped Jon into the corner of the ring. The match was originally announced as J&amp;J against Ambrose but Rollins announced that he had to step in for Jamie who was 'injured' after being attacked by Avery the week before. Avery was on commentary and though the sound was off in the monitors in the locker room, he was sure JBL was asking her some asinine question about what was going on between her and Ambrose and she was insisting that they were just friends with a common enemy. The shot switched to her at the announce table and Jamie standing a few feet away, glaring at her. She blew him a kiss and he shook his head, walking brusquely away.

"Did you get my match changed?"

He looked up as Claudio charged toward him, fists clenched at his sides.

"Excuse me?" Randy looked up, not moving from his seat. He was honestly surprised it had taken him this long.

"Why did I get removed from the card tonight?" Claudio demanded.

"You'd have to ask your boss that," Randy shrugged. "I don't make the matches around here."

"I did ask," Claudio spoke through clenched teeth.

"And what was the answer?" Randy leaned forward on his elbows. He knew Paul would never admit to why he changed the match. He tried to hide his blatant favoritism.

"That it wasn't the right fit," Claudio spat. "Which is obviously bullshit. I can work with anyone. So _you_ must have had it changed."

"And why would I do that?" Randy asked, calm and collected. He didn't have any reason to be upset. He got what he wanted on all fronts. He didn't have to work with Claudio and he'd clearly gotten under his skin. Mission accomplished.

"My guess would be that it has something to do with Avery," Claudio theorized.

"What about Avery?" Randy finally stood, eye to eye with him. He crossed his arms over his chest, smirking, "Is there some reason that I should be upset?"

The scowl settled deeply on Claudio's face and he was silent for a few beats.

"If you have a problem with me, come to me directly," Claudio finally spoke. "I don't want to be involved in your bullshit politicking."

Randy smiled, "Are you always this paranoid?"

Claudio turned around, storming out of the room and Randy laughed, reclaiming his seat.


	23. All Is Not Lost

**Thanks so much for the reviews and adds! Double update for everyone. Hope you enjoy! Drop a review if you can. Thanks!**

"Avery, don't you think you should be ashamed of yourself for what you did to Jamie Noble last week?"

"Is that a serious question?" Avery laughed, looking over at JBL. "Jamie Noble has interfered in several of my matches. He's lucky all he got was a knee to the face."

"This match has nothing to do with you," JBL said. "Why are you involving yourself in Dean Ambrose's business?"

"Dean is a good guy," Avery answered. "He came to my defense against Seth Rollins and I'm just here to support him."

"You expect us to believe you're not just here to meddle?" JBL scoffed.

"You can believe whatever you like," she shrugged.

She looked up at the action in the ring as Colby shoved Joey into the referee. Jamie slid a kendo stick into the ring and Colby repeatedly drove it into Jon's ribs. Avery took off her headphones but Jamie stood in front of her before she could do anything. A new referee ran down to the ring as Colby dropped the stick and pinned him. Jon kicked out just before three. Avery jump faked Jamie and he cowered, allowing her to dart around him. She jumped up onto the ring apron and the referee started arguing with her, telling her to get down. She shouted back at him until Colby came over, pushing the referee out of the way. He pointed at Avery and she pushed his hand out of the way, grabbing the back of his sweaty neck with her other hand, pulling him in for a kiss. Colby returned the kiss with fervor as planned, gripping the back of her head and Avery held him close until she opened her eyes and looked over his shoulder. When she saw Jon standing up, she pulled away and pushed a dazed Colby toward Jon, right into Dirty Deeds. Jumping down from the ring apron, Avery counted to three along with the referee before wiping away the lipstick that smeared under her bottom lip.

A small group of fans against the barricade started a sarcastic 'holy shit' chant and she laughed, acknowledging it with a point as Jon rolled out of the ring, holding his left arm close to his ribs. She rushed over, draping his other arm over her shoulders to help support him. His shirt was ripped and she could see that he had welts from the kendo stick shots.

"You okay?" she asked as they backed up the ramp.

He gave her a puzzled look as the fans cheered them on.

* * *

Paige stood with her arms crossed, tapping her fingers against her skin, seething. She'd just had yet another person come up to her, asking if the rumors about Avery were true and it took everything in her not to throw a punch. She hated how childish things got backstage. She didn't like to hear rumors about anyone but trash talking her best friend was unforgivable. Avery was trying to take the high road, not seeking out a confrontation with the source of all of this.

Paige didn't have any interest in the high road.

"Nattie!" she shouted when the other woman walked into the locker room, pulling her suitcase behind her. Everyone was packing up to leave.

"What's up?" Nattie gave her one of those painfully fake smiles that made Paige roll her eyes.

"What the hell are you thinking?" Paige snapped.

Nattie laughed, "What are you talking about?"

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," Paige responded, supremely annoyed. "You've tried to lecture me about being a leader but you think it's okay to go around spreading rumors?"

"To be clear, I didn't spread a rumor," Nattie put a finger up. "I talked about a fact. It happened to get around. That isn't my fault."

"Are you joking?" Paige scoffed.

"And you lashing out at me right now is exactly why I've lectured you about your leadership," Nattie haughtily explained. "You're acting like a child right now."

"_I'm_ a child?" Paige stared. "Well since we're being so honest, _you_ are a sad, jealous old woman. The only reason you get your knickers in such a knot about me and Avery is because no one's giving you any attention."

"You need to learn some respect!" Nattie fumed.

"Why should I respect you?" Paige held out her arms. "You're pathetic!"

Nattie took a step closer to Paige and without thinking; Paige pushed the shorter woman back with both hands.

"Hey!"

Paige felt herself being pulled back by wiry arms. She saw Nikki pulling Nattie in the opposite direction, "What is going on here?"

"What the hell?" Brie pulled back on Paige's arms. Paige was much stronger but she didn't fight her friend pulling her away.

"She just attacked me!" Nattie accused.

Paige rolled her eyes, "She needs to learn to keep her mouth shut."

* * *

Avery rushed to catch up with Jon as he strode out into the talent parking lot. The weight of her suitcase was slowing her down. She'd need to pack lighter next time.

"Hey!" She called out and he turned, stopping when he saw her. He pulled the baseball cap he wore a little further down on his forehead as he waited for her.

"I need you for a minute," she took hold of his hand. "I have a great idea for a picture."

Carano had spoken to her again about incorporating him into her social media so she needed to get on it and there was no time like the present. When she was packing up her things, inspiration struck.

"Working on defending your Slammy crown already?" he smirked, looking down at their joined hands.

"Come on," she rolled her eyes, letting go of his hand, instead grabbing the front of his jacket and pulling him behind her. "Where's your car?"

He pointed out a black Ford Escape and she let him go as they headed in that direction. They didn't have all the time in the world. Building security always wanted them to get going as quickly as possible so that the fans didn't linger too long. If she was smart, she wouldn't spend too much time alone with Jon anyway. She couldn't seem to do it lately without ending up in trouble.

"We need your Slammys," she said, unzipping her bag and unpacking hers while he put his suitcase in the trunk. He brought them around to her and she opened the back door, lining them up on the backseat. As she leaned over, placing them in a row, she could feel his gaze raking over her.

"You gonna help or just stare at my ass?" she asked, stopping her movements.

"You can't point it at me and get mad at me for lookin' at it," he responded. She could tell he was smirking without looking at him.

She stood up, shaking her head, "Perv."

"What's the plan here, dollface?" he asked, ignoring her insult. He'd never minded being called a pervert.

"We take a picture with the trophies in the backseat so it looks like we're riding together," she explained as he opened the passenger side door for her. He came around to the driver's side while she unlocked her phone and opened her camera.

"I'm glad you're the one who has to handle this stuff," he tossed his own phone into the cup holder.

"I know, heaven forbid you send a tweet," she rolled her eyes. "Lean closer to me."

"How close?" his eyebrow rose as he moved toward her. She gripped his chin, stopping him when he'd gotten close enough, "There is fine."

He winked at her and she felt the corner of her mouth lifting before she could stop it. He was truly enough to drive a woman crazy. He'd gotten into her head, under her skin, from the moment she met him and she wondered if she would ever really get him out. She had tried for months but if recent events had shown her anything, she wasn't doing a very good job.

She turned his face toward the front of the car and let go of his chin, holding up her phone. She framed the shot so that a little of their faces could be seen with the Slammy Awards in the back. She took a few snaps to make sure she got a good one.

"All done," she announced, quickly posting the best one to Instagram with the caption, _Found some new friends to take on the road with us_

"You know, you could just ride with us for real," he suggested. "I'm sure Colby would love to have you around after that kiss."

She laughed, biting her thumbnail.

"I may never get that image out of my head," he spoke in an admonishing tone.

She laughed, "You know, he's a pretty good kisser. I did not mind it."

"Stop," he shook his head, a hint of seriousness in his tone. "I don't wanna hear that."

"That's what you get for interrupting my breakfast this morning," she scolded. "Nightmare fuel for days."

"I couldn't help it," he shrugged. He smirked, "You just looked so _bored_."

"God, you are such a jerk," she chuckled.

"Why do you hang out with that guy?" he asked, incredulous. She had a feeling it was a question he wondered about frequently.

"He's not as bad as you think he is," she shrugged. "He's mature. He's not interested in playing games. I like him."

He flinched. It was barely visible, probably would have gone unnoticed by someone who didn't know his every move but Avery saw it, a tiny twitch of his left eye, enough to make it clear that he didn't like her answer. She wasn't sure what to say next. She couldn't take it back. She did like Randy and she didn't want to lie about it.

"As much as you like me?" he questioned, recovering quickly.

"Who says I like you?" she teased, smiling when he gave her a dubious look. He was waiting for an answer and she sighed, resting her elbow on the center console and her chin on her hand, "I don't think it's fair to compare the way I feel about you to anybody else."

When the words were out of her mouth, she regretted being so honest. The look that he gave her sped her pulse.

"Is that an insult or a compliment?"

"I think it's a little bit of both," she admitted. Good or bad, he made her feel more than anyone she'd ever met.

He licked his lips and Avery looked up at him, "What exactly do you think is going on here?"

She pointed between the two of them and he caught her hand.

He linked their fingers together, "What do you want to be happening here?"

Avery bit her own lip, her eyes falling to his. She knew what she wanted at the moment but she didn't want to admit it.

She wanted him.

"You ready to go man?"

The door behind her opened and Avery let out the breath she was holding as Joe's voice broke through her haze.

Jon's eyes shot daggers at his friend over her shoulder.

"Shit," Joe stepped back when Avery turned to face him. "Sorry to interrupt."

"That's okay," Avery assured him. "We were just talking."

"Hey!" Paige's voice startled her and she saw her friend a few feet away. "Let's go. We don't have all day."

"Just stay here," Jon spoke, his voice quiet and intense.

"I can't," she responded quickly, ignoring the flutter in her chest at his words. Stupid traitorous body. "I have to go say goodbye to Ash before she goes to the airport. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Later A-Town," Joe waved and she got out of the car, grabbing her suitcase and walking away quickly before she changed her mind. She didn't even retrieve her Slammys.

"Quit yelling at me!" she called to Paige. "I'm coming!"

She jumped when she heard Joe cry out behind her and when she looked over her shoulder, she saw Jon punch him in the arm.

* * *

_Tuesday…_

"I honestly couldn't even believe it," Nikki held up her phone so she could see her boyfriend's handsome face. "They were about to fight. Right there in the locker room. I could hear Paige yelling from like a mile away."

He had to fly out immediately after the show and she hadn't even had a chance to tell him what happened. She was appalled when she and Brie had to separate their coworkers. The display was completely unacceptable. If one of the higher ups were to happen upon that, there would have been serious consequences.

"This is our _champion_, John," she stressed. "She's supposed to be held up as an example for the entire industry and she thinks it's okay to fight someone backstage?"

"You don't think maybe Nattie provoked it?" John asked.

"Of course she did," Nikki shrugged. "It's Nattie. She provokes all of us at some point or another. We don't fight her."

"Did anyone else see it?" John inquired.

"I don't know," Nikki sighed. "I'm sure other people heard them but I think we pulled them apart before anyone saw. I don't even think she was embarrassed about it. I know she's great in the ring and I'm all about making history and all but I don't like the idea of someone who acts like that being in her position."

"Then talk to her about it," he suggested. "Make sure she knows how serious it is."

"Oh yeah, that will go over beautifully, me lecturing Paige," she rolled her eyes. "She never listens to me or Brie. She doesn't listen to anyone really."

"Okay, then why don't you try talking to Avery about it?" John asked. "She'll listen to her, right?"

She sat down at the edge of her bed, considering his suggestion.

"If there's anyone she will listen to, it's probably Avery," Nikki confirmed.

"Then talk to her," John said. "Be the leader that we both know you are. Show them the right way to handle themselves."

* * *

Avery walked into the room she shared with Paige, dropping her things and peeling off her sweat soaked shirt. She'd gone to a local crossfit gym with Colby and she was drenched. At least she enjoyed it. Colby liked taking her along because she never complained. There weren't many workouts that she couldn't handle.

She expected Paige to be moving around the room but instead, she found her friend sprawled out in bed with her pillow balled up under her head.

"Time to get up Crumpet," she grabbed a pillow from her own bed, tossing it at her friend. "We have to go soon."

"I just need a few more hours to sleep," Paige groaned.

"You can't even have a few more minutes," Avery laughed, walking over and smacking her on the ass. "Get it in gear."

"_Fine_," Paige rolled herself out of bed, untangling herself from the sheets. "How was the gym?"

"Fun," Avery smiled. "I made 100 bucks off of some guy who thought he could beat me in handstand pushups."

"Good girl," Paige patted her on the head as she walked toward the bathroom.

"I talked to Randy on my way back," Avery announced, pulling a clean outfit out of her bag. "He's coming to the party tomorrow."

Takeover R Evolution would take place the next day and Avery and Paige had been planning for weeks to attend the show. Fergal, who lived with Kenta in Avery and Paige's old apartment, was throwing an after party.

"Why did you invite him?" Paige griped, leaning out of the bathroom with her toothbrush in her mouth.

"He was already gonna be in town since he's going to Takeover," Avery shrugged. When he asked about her plans after the show she had blurted an invitation to the party without a second thought.

"You never cease to amaze me with your bad choices," Paige shook her head.

"How is this a bad choice?" Avery crawled onto her bed and sat on her heels. She would have to wait for Paige to take her shower.

"I don't know. Maybe because all of our friends are going to be there," Paige suggested, waving the toothbrush around as she spoke. "And in case you're not aware, he doesn't exactly fit in with our group. _Also_, every time I turn around, you're making kissy faces at Jon so I don't know why you'd put them in the same place."

Avery's jaw dropped at the offending remark, "That is not true."

"Don't think I didn't see you two in the car last night," Paige laughed.

She'd hoped Joe was the only one who saw them but she had no way of knowing. She'd somehow forgotten that anyone else was around that night.

"We were just talking," she gave a flippant shrug.

"And holding hands," Paige added. "Leaning close to each other."

Blush crept up Avery's cheeks and she looked up at Paige, dismayed, "You think I'm an idiot. Don't you?"

"I think you're…confused," Paige answered. "I can't say that I understand it but I don't think you're an idiot."

"I don't understand it either," Avery grabbed a pillow, holding it tightly against her stomach. "I feel like a crazy person. I keep telling myself to keep him at arm's length and then the moment we're alone together, I just..I forget everything."

Paige walked over to her with a sympathetic smile and patted her cheek, "He makes you stupid. He always has."

Avery sighed deeply. She had no argument against that. When they met, she was 'taking a break' from men and it took him mere days to change that. Every time they fought, every time they broke up, she let him back in. He'd never cared what defenses she had in place. He just plowed through all of it and she let him. In the days after she caught him cheating, her closest friends did everything they could to hide her from him and some part of Avery always knew that they did it for fear that he would just win her over like he always did. She was offended by the thought at the time. She was so angry she thought she would never speak to him again. And now, here she was, trying to figure out why she couldn't stop trying to kiss him.

"I'm not a relationship expert Cupcake," Paige offered. "But I think maybe you need to take a step away from both of them. I don't think you're ready for what either of them is looking for."

Avery rested her chin on top of the pillow, considering her friend's words, "I don't even know what they're looking for."

Paige headed back into the bathroom, "Then maybe you need to figure that out."

* * *

Jon looked at the time on his phone, wondering how long he was supposed to wait before he just went back to catering. Paul sent an assistant to find him but when he got to his makeshift office, he was deep in a conversation with Carano that didn't seem to be ending anytime soon.

Joe had probably already eaten all of Jon's food.

He turned the phone off, noting that his battery was only at 25%. He watched as his colleagues bustled around him. A few feet away, Nikki Bella was having what looked like a serious conversation with Mike Mizanin. He hoped that Nikki would skip the trip to Florida for Takeover. He wanted to get some time to talk to Avery at the after party and if Nikki had her way, that would never happen. He liked the Bella twin well enough but she seemed to be developing a problem with him. She was one of several people who seemed to have a lot of feelings about whatever was going on between Avery and Jon but he didn't care what her feelings were, or anyone else's for that matter.

He wanted to know what Avery wanted. He wasn't sure she had any idea. She claimed she didn't want to backslide. He was sure that in her head, she thought it was a terrible idea to get involved with him again. Maybe it was, but Jon couldn't keep his mind off of her. He couldn't stop thinking about the electricity practically crackling in the air when they were close to each other. Right or wrong, he wanted more of that. He rolled his shoulders, trying to force his thoughts to something else before he ended up with a problem he didn't have the time to deal with.

"Any suggestions on what we do about these Avery/Claudio rumors?"

Jon looked toward the door when he heard Carano's voice coming closer, as if he'd gotten up to leave.

"There isn't much we can do at this point," Paul responded. "We can't put chastity belts on all of them so these things are going to happen. I'm just surprised at the source."

"I have to admit, I would never have expected Claudio to be involved in any drama," Carano said. "He's just not the type."

Jon rolled his eyes. They clearly didn't know the Swiss Superman as well as they thought.

"They're all the type," Paul laughed. "But it did surprise me to hear that he was the one talking about it."

Jon frowned, confused. He knew from Avery that Nattie was responsible for the rumor spreading like wildfire. Where did they get the idea that it was Claudio?

"Randy wouldn't have any reason to lie about it though," Carano observed. "I believe him."

And there was the answer. Randy, who Avery thought was so mature and evolved, threw Claudio under the bus with the bosses. A smile spread across Jon's face. It wouldn't have been Jon's play but a part of him had to appreciate any move against Claudio.

The door opened and Jon took a step back to avoid looking like an eavesdropper. He genuinely hadn't intended to listen.

Carano said his goodbyes to Paul and smiled when he noticed Jon, "I was looking for you earlier. You and Avery did a great job with that picture last night. We reposted it and got more impressions from that than anything else that was posted last night. Vince is thrilled."

"I have no idea what that means but I'll let Avery know you're happy," Jon laughed. He was certain that Vince had more important metrics to consider than hits on an Instagram picture but he wasn't going to argue the point.

"Walk with me," Paul spoke, walking in the opposite direction of Carano, gesturing for Jon to follow. "Sorry to keep you waiting."

"No problem," Jon smiled. "I didn't mind at all."

* * *

_Wednesday…_

Avery nearly bounced out of her shoes at the energy pulsing around her. There was nothing like standing backstage at a Takeover event. She absolutely loved being on the main roster. She was living her dreams and would hopefully be a champion soon but there was something about the feeling at NXT that was just…different. There was this collective drive and adrenaline rush that couldn't be matched. Every person working, backstage or in the ring, had something to prove; to themselves, to the fans, to the executives. It was an incredible feeling and she had to admit she missed it. But now it was her friends' turn to feel that feeling and to impress the world. Ashley was set for a championship match with Mercedes and Avery could feel the energy coming off of her friends in waves.

Paul was briefing the talent and had allowed Avery and Paige to stand in. They flanked Ash and Mercedes and Avery placed a calming hand on the blonde's back, between her shoulder blades.

"Before the women's match, Avery we'll put you in the front row and have you do a quick smile and wave on camera," Paul explained. Avery nodded; she was fully prepared, wearing a Charlotte shirt. She was excited to get to watch the match from the audience.

They reviewed the order of the card then, starting with Kevin Owens vs. CJ Parker.

Avery looked around the room and spotted Kevin, trying to hide his smile as Enzo repeatedly patted him on the back and bounced behind him. He looked her way and gave her a curt nod. She nodded back, unsure of what else to do. She'd made a huge fuss telling everyone and their mother that she needed to have this day free so that she could attend his first show and now here they were, across the room from each other, not even speaking. She'd typed out a message to him twice that morning, wishing him luck, but she kept deleting it until Paige took her phone away, promising to give it back later. She knew Jessica was in the audience, she wasn't sure about the kids. Hopefully she'd get to sit near them during the women's match.

She hated the awkwardness. Why couldn't he just apologize? She wanted to celebrate with her brother. She wanted him to make fun of her for getting emotional and call her a weirdo.

Rami stood beside her and he must have seen something in her expression because he pulled her over for one of his signature, vice like hugs, lifting her heels off the ground.

"You two will work it out," he assured her. "It'll be over before the night is done. I promise."

* * *

Jon strolled through the backstage area at Full Sail with Joe and Colby, admiring the big production. It was very different than back in the FCW days in Tampa. These kids had it made. He could tell Colby was thinking the same thing as he looked around.

"Should be a good show tonight," Joe observed as they passed a big framed poster for the event.

"It'd be better if the real stars were on it."

Jon knew that voice anywhere; sounded like he'd been chewing on glass.

He turned around, smiling at his good friend Sami Callihan. He opened his arms, "Get over here you little fucker."

Sami gave him a hug, slapping him hard on the back, "I didn't know you were coming tonight."

"Decided at the last minute," Jon explained as the shorter man greeted Joe and Colby. Sami had been working NXT live events as Solomon Crowe but they weren't putting him on TV yet. He'd known Sami for years and it was great to see him finally getting his big shot. He deserved it.

"You working the preshow?" Joe asked.

"Nah, I just got cleared yesterday," Sami explained. He'd been dealing with a leg injury that, thankfully, didn't require surgery but kept him on the shelf for a few weeks.

"Any idea when they're putting you on the show?" Jon asked.

"Last I heard, it might be January," Sami answered. "I'll be up on the main roster beating you fuckers up in no time."

"We look forward to it," Colby laughed.

"Damn right you do," Sami pointed and winked. "You guys coming to Devitt's party tonight?"

"Yeah it's at my old building," Colby answered.

"No shit? A bunch of us live in that complex," Sami laughed.

"That's not a surprise," Joe laughed. "Those poor landlords will never be rid of us."

"I wonder who else is coming," Sami said. "All the big dogs are here for the show tonight. Let me tell you, when I saw Randy Orton up close, it actually got the engines going a little bit." He reached up, pinching Jon on the cheek, "I thought Mox here was a good lookin' dude."

Jon rolled his eyes so hard he was certain that he saw the back of his skull. Of course Randy was there. He never showed even the slightest interest in developmental and now he was showing up to NXT shows. Avery was quite the motivator.

"Who was Randy with?" Jon questioned, attempting a casual tone.

"He was by himself when I saw him," Sami answered. "Why?"

Jon shrugged, "No reason. Just wondering."

* * *

Avery wiped her thumbs under her eyes as she walked out of the women's dressing room. She held it together as best she could but she got a little emotional after Ashley's match. The crowd was so invested and the girls put on such a great match. When they got back to the locker room Ashley got teary eyed and then Avery couldn't contain her own tears.

"Your fans would never believe that you're this emotional," Paul walked her way, shaking his head at her.

"My fans would appreciate my sincerity," she laughed. "What are you doing outside of gorilla?"

"Had a small fire to put out," he explained. "I'm heading back there now. Why don't you come with me? You can watch the next match from production."

"I'm not about to turn that down," Avery said, following him. He slowed to walk beside her, sticking his hands in his pockets. He looked over at her and she narrowed her eyes back at him. He was giving her that fatherly look that he gave when he wanted to talk about something.

"What?" she questioned.

"How are you doing?" he sighed.

"Fine," she answered suspiciously. "Why?"

"Listen, you know that we don't encourage drama and the spreading of rumors around here," he said. "But you also know that it's hard to control at times."

"Mmhmm," she nodded, looking down at her shoes. Nothing like talking to your boss about being slut shamed.

"I want you to know that what Claudio did isn't going unnoticed," Paul looked her in the eye.

She stared back at him, confused, "What?"

He sighed, stopping, "Spreading the rumors."

"What?" a thin laugh escaped her. "He would never do that. Hell, I know for a fact it wasn't him."

"So he didn't tell you that he did it?" Paul's eyebrows drew together and his nostrils flared.

"No," she shook her head. "Why would you think he did?"

Paul's jaw clenched before he spoke again, "Apparently I got some bad information. You said you know for a fact it wasn't him. I assume that means you know who did start it."

"I do," she nodded, not bothering to lie. "And before you ask, I'm not gonna tell you who it was because I don't need to deal with that kind of nonsense."

His expression shifted from anger to disappointment and he reminded her more of a grandfather than he ever had. Fortunately, she wasn't so easily swayed.

"Not happening," she shook her head. "I appreciate the concern. Really, I do. But I would like to just let it blow over. It's not the first time a rumor has gone around about me and it won't be the last. I'm a big girl. I can handle it."


	24. Tennessee Whiskey

_**Quick note, there's a little more of Finn Balor in this chapter and I have not formatted his dialogue with his accent. Of course, we all know he has one and I adore it. I just didn't write the words differently. Enjoy!**_

Randy watched as Avery pulled two 6-packs out of her trunk, handing them to him with a giddy smile. She pulled out another two, using her elbow to close the trunk.

"Why are we bringing beer to this party?" he asked.

"You haven't been to a house party in a while, have you?" she smirked, leading the way down the sidewalk toward the apartment complex. As they got closer, he saw a big pool in the center of the 3 story buildings. There were people in and around the pool, a few he recognized, probably more that he didn't.

"Grammie taught me to never show up to someone's house without a gift," Avery smiled over her shoulder at him. "And this is my favorite kind of gift to give."

"What's your favorite kind of gift to receive?" he flashed her a Cheshire grin and she laughed, turning forward again. They were walking past the short edge of the pool.

"Avery!"

A tiny blonde came bounding toward Avery, launching herself onto her and wrapping her legs around her. Impressively, Avery didn't drop the beer she was holding. She stumbled back a few steps but that was it. Randy recognized the blonde from the NXT Roster. Alexa…something.

"I think you lost your date."

The voice behind him had a heavy Irish accent and Randy turned to see Fergal Devitt smiling at him, "Don't bother trying to get her back for now. Once these girls get together, they all forget the rest of us are here."

Randy cast a glance back at them to see that Avery handed off her beers and was now tightly hugging Ashley.

"I can see that," he laughed, turning back to Fergal. "Listen, I appreciate you letting me tag along with Avery tonight."

"Of course," the shorter man assured him with a wide smile. "Any friend of my friend and all that. Come with me, we'll get you a drink and I'll give you the tour."

* * *

"Mark my words," Sami declared. "Next time we have one of these things, I'm gonna be on the card."

"You're gonna have to get on TV first," someone piped up from a few feet away.

Sami yelled something back but Jon couldn't offer his friend his full attention. His eyes and mind were focused out the window. Avery had arrived at the party with about 15 minutes earlier and she still hadn't made it past the pool. She was sitting with Ashley and a few of the other NXT girls just laughing up a storm. And here he was, stewing as he finished his beer because, presumably in an effort to torture him, Avery brought Randy with her. Pompous asshole was standing with the ever chatty Rami and Paige, who looked to be as pleased with Randy's presence as Jon was.

"Are you seriously not gonna back me up here?"

Jon turned when Sami's voice got closer, "Of course man. You'll be on the next show."

"What are you staring at out there?" Sami frowned, pushing past Jon to stand in front of the window. A slow smile crept across his face, "Of course. You back on that rollercoaster again?"

"No but he wants to be," Joe laughed.

"She know that?" Sami chuckled. "'Cause I heard some of the girls saying she's bumpin' uglies with Randy Orton."

"She is," Jon confirmed, his teeth grinding at the thought. The thought of her letting Randy touch her drove him crazy, made his hands twitchy. And now she was bringing him around their friends, _his_ friends.

"I need to talk to her," Sami laughed. "I gotta know why she would even consider picking someone else over my boy. I don't care how pretty he is."

"Shut up," Jon said, grabbing another beer from the table.

Sami ignored him, leaning out the open window and bellowing Avery's name.

She cast the briefest glance over her shoulder before turning back to her conversation with Mercedes. Sami and Avery didn't exactly care for each other. Sami could be a lot to handle. He loved pushing buttons and Avery had very little tolerance for being poked at.

"Leave her alone," Jon halfheartedly chided his friend. Maybe she deserved to be as annoyed as he was.

"AAAAAVVEEERRRYYY!" Sami hollered out the window again and Jon could see her shoulders tense.

He did it one more time and she whipped her head around, "Fuck off Sami!"

"There she is!" Sami cackled. "Come up here. I need to talk to you."

"You don't want me to come up there," she shook her head. "You yell at me like that again and I will beat your little ass."

"Why do you always have to go there?" he asked, leaning out the window. "I'm not _that_ fucking short."

"Because I know you hate it," Avery smiled.

"Come on, seriously, come up here for a second. I need to talk to you," Sami waved. He put his arm around Jon's neck, pulling him into view, "_We_ need to talk to you."

"I have nothing to do with this," Jon put his hands up.

"Yes he does," Sami covered his mouth. Jon bit him and he yelped, pulling his hand away.

She stood with her arms crossed, looking unconvinced. And then Jon smiled at her. An earnest smile, more of an apology for Sami pestering her. The left corner of her mouth twitched upward and she looked away for a moment before turning back to them, meeting Jon's eyes, "Fine but one of you better have a drink ready for me."

"Look at you," Sami slapped his shoulder as she made her way into the building. "Smiling like a kid in a candy store."

"Shut up," Jon laughed, pushing his hand away, though his smile had grown. He turned and watched the door as Sami started talking to Joe about the one time he and Avery got along: bar fight somewhere in Philly. Avery was in town visiting friends and Sami was working a show. Some guy that worked the ring crew wouldn't stop bothering her and Sami decided that protecting his friend's girl meant tossing the guy over a table. A fight ensued and the guy got the upper hand until Avery jumped on his back and clocked him in the side of the face. The way Sami told it, this was a mountain of a man. Jon wished he'd been there to see it.

He turned his eyes to the front door, waiting for her, waiting for those eyes and that smile and then she appeared. She walked through the door and her eyes found his right away. He held up an unopened beer and she flashed him a grateful smile as she sauntered toward him.

Then she was cut off. Swooped up like prey. His arm was around her in seconds and she was guided away.

_Fucking Randy Orton_

She gave Jon an apologetic shrug and held up a finger as if she'd make her way to him in a minute but he knew she wouldn't. If she really wanted to talk to him, she wouldn't have brought someone else.

* * *

Randy wrapped his arm around Avery's waist, nodding as she talked excitedly with Rami about an idea she and Paige had for their match on Sunday. He knew there was no way that she was getting that idea past Vince but he didn't have to heart to tell her in the moment. They could talk about it later.

He looked over his left shoulder, offering a smile Jon's way.

The look on his face when Randy pulled Avery off of her path to him was not lost on Randy. He heard Sami yelling at her out the window, saw how pleased Jon looked when she said she would come up. It was amusing to rain on his parade.

He didn't know what the other man was expecting. Randy didn't have the full story but he knew that they were exes for a reason. Whatever Jon was playing at wasn't going to work. If Avery hadn't made that clear enough then Randy would have to do it for her.

"Don't you think that would be a cool spot?" Avery asked, looking up with Randy.

He opened his mouth to say that it would but then he winced.

"Jerk!" she laughed, slapping him on the chest.

"I do think it would look great," he admitted. "I just don't think there's a snowball's chance in hell that you'll get a green light."

"You may have a point there," Paige agreed.

"True," Avery nodded. "But sometimes it's better to ask forgiveness instead of permission."

"That's a dangerous game," Randy warned her.

She shrugged, "I'm a risk taker."

* * *

Jon drummed his index fingers on the kitchen counter, surveying the liquor bottles lined up, debating which he wanted to take. He decided on a bottle of whiskey, snatching it up and filling his plastic cup halfway.

Joe held up his cup but Jon held the bottle away, shaking his head, "Get your own."

Unimpressed, Joe swiftly grabbed the bottle, pouring himself a shot. Jon's reflexes were steadily slowing thanks to the drinks he'd already consumed. He wasn't counting how many he had but he knew the number was getting high. It was a party, after all. He was supposed to have fun and that's what he was trying to do.

Unfortunately, he couldn't seem to get away from the sound of Avery's laughter. It floated to his ears, raising the hairs on the back of his neck and he took the bottle back from his friend, topping off his cup. His attempts to ignore her presence were dashed at every turn. She tried to talk to him a few minutes after Randy pulled her aside but he'd ducked into the bathroom. Now, she was flitting around the party, laughing and talking with everyone in a skintight Charlotte shirt, just taunting him with her perfection.

And there was Randy, standing around, sticking out like a sore thumb.

Jon watched the other man standing with Windham, barely paying attention to their conversation. He was checking his watch; a ridiculously expensive watch to be wearing with a t-shirt and jeans.

"You think one of us should go save Win?" Joe nudged him.

"He's probably not the one who needs saving," Colby laughed. Win could be incredibly long winded if no one stopped him, especially when he had a few drinks in him.

Jon took a long drink before he spoke again, ignoring his friends' words, "You think she brought him to mess with me?"

Joe nodded in the affirmative while Colby shook his head no.

"She's not trying to mess with you," Colby spoke. "Why would she do that?"

He thought to himself of all of the tension between them, all of the unresolved magnetism. Thanksgiving. Tuesday in the car. Almost every time they looked at each other.

She had plenty of reason to mess with him. That was all she'd been doing lately, dangling fruit in front of him and then pulling it out of reach.

He tipped his cup back, finishing it off. If she wanted to play games, then he would indulge her.

"What are you doing?" Joe stopped him with a hand on his chest when he tried to walk past, eyes fixed on Randy.

"Nothing," Jon shrugged, taking up the whiskey bottle again. "Just going to say hello."

Windham made his exit when he saw Jon coming and Randy frowned but didn't move to leave. Good.

"What's the matter Randy?" Jon asked. "You don't look like you're havin' a good time."

"Looks like you're having enough fun for all of us," Randy pointed at the bottle.

"You know…I'm surprised you're even here," Jon observed, taking a drink. "Considering that you have such a problem with Avery's exes."

"What exactly are you talking about?" Randy raised an eyebrow.

"I heard about what you did to Claudio," Jon smirked. "He's an asshole so I don't exactly blame you but I don't know how much Avery would like it. She gets a little protective."

"I didn't do anything to Claudio," Randy asserted. If Jon didn't know for a fact that it was a lie, he would have believed him. He was a convincing liar.

"Come on, you can tell me the truth," Jon elbowed him.

Randy narrowed his beady eyes, "Okay, you think you know something. What's your point? Claudio isn't here so why bring it up?"

Jon shrugged, "Claudio wasn't actually the ex I was talking about."

"She told me you were going to be here," Randy shrugged with a smug smile. "I knew I didn't have anything to be worried about."

He really didn't know. Perfect.

"You're a funny guy," Jon smirked. "But I wasn't talking about me."

Randy frowned, confused.

"Ah," Jon gave him a superior smile. "So she didn't tell you about her and ol' Prince Devitt over there?"

Jon pointed to where Fergal was standing with Avery, Rami, and Paige. The handsome Irishman had his arm around Avery's shoulders and as she laughed at something Rami said, she turned in to Fergal, her hand on his chest. She couldn't have helped him out more if they'd planned it.

Jon shrugged, smiling from ear to ear as he patted Randy on the shoulder, "I'm sure she had her reasons for not telling you."

* * *

Avery felt a hand on her arm and she smiled when she saw Randy standing beside her. She'd lost track of him earlier. The last time she saw him, he was talking to Kenta downstairs by the pool. When she looked up at him, she could see his lips moving but everything around them was so loud that she couldn't make out what he said. After a few more tries, she realized that he was asking to talk to her alone.

She nodded, taking his hand and leading him to the kitchen. Traipsing around the apartment she once lived in was slightly odd for her but she had the advantage of being able to navigate it with her eyes closed and knowing the spots that could be quiet during a party. There was a small balcony off of the kitchen that she'd always loved. She slid the door open, stepping out into the cool night breeze. As more and more people arrived, the temperature inside began to rise. She was starting to sweat.

"I'm so glad you came," she smiled happily, fanning herself. "I'm having so much fun."

Getting to catch up with the people she used to see almost every day and celebrate their big night was a thrill.

"Good, I'm glad," he didn't return the smile, running a hand over his short hair. His jaw was set and tight, his shoulders tense in his t-shirt. "Is there something going on with you and Devitt?"

That was the absolute last question that Avery was expecting. She was so thrown by it that she didn't know what to say at first. She physically recoiled from him. He couldn't be serious.

He widened his eyes, waiting for a response. Apparently he was serious.

She scoffed, "No, not in forever."

She and Fergal were involved years earlier when she lived in Japan. It was never anything that could be called a relationship. They were more friends with benefits. She hadn't even thought about it in ages. She was certain that he hadn't either.

"What does that mean exactly?" Randy questioned.

Her face twisted in confusion, "It means it's ancient history. We're just friends. Have been for years. We stopped hooking up ages ago."

"And when you say 'hooking up'…" Randy sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "How many times?"

Avery couldn't stifle a laugh, "Jesus Christ, I didn't count. I have no idea how many times. Why are you even asking me this?"

"I'm asking because if you were going to bring me to a party, you could have at least warned me that you fucked the guy throwing it," he spoke through clenched teeth.

Avery stared at him, wondering when he'd turned into a raving maniac.

"Why the _hell_ would I tell you that?" she asked, shocked. "Did someone slip something into your drink?"

"Because I should know what I'm walking into," Randy insisted. "I came in here shaking that guy's hand and thanking him for inviting me."

"Which you should have, because he invited you into his home," Avery stared, thoroughly confused. "Why would that change because of this? What does my having sex with someone, _years_ ago to be clear, have to do with _you_?"

Randy's hand tightly clenched the railing and he looked out into the night, taking a slow, deep breath. He was struggling with his anger which made Avery's shoot through the roof.

"You're actually mad at me right now?" she snapped. "What happened to being my drama free zone?"

He opened his mouth to speak but she wasn't done.

"I am _so sick_ of the men around me thinking that they have some sort of say over what I do," she glared. "I have _never_ asked you _anything_ about anyone you've been with despite the fact that I _know_ that you've hooked up with several people that I know but you think I'm supposed to give you some rundown of who I've fucked every time we step into a room together?"

"I would tell you if I were bringing you to the house of someone I'd been with," he declared.

"I wouldn't want to know!" she yelled. "Because it's none of my fucking business. But you know what, fine. You want to know, let's go."

She grabbed Randy's hand, yanking him behind her and back into the kitchen where they could see most of the party's attendees.

"Okay, so you clearly know about me and Fergal now," Avery pointed to the Irishman who was holding court with Tenille and Mercedes. "We fucked pretty regularly for like 6 or 7 months a few years ago." She pointed to Enzo next, "We made out once but we were both completely shitfaced and didn't even know about it until someone showed us a picture the next day. We agreed to pretend it never happened but God forbid I keep that from you."

"Avery-"

"Claudio isn't here but in the interest of full disclosure, I completely ruined our friendship by having sex with him," she continued. She scanned the crowd until she found Jon standing with Sami, "And of course there's Jon, who I have had sex with _countless _times. At least once a day, anytime we were in the same city, the entire time that we were together. And that's a conservative estimate. Didn't even make him wait until the end of the third date."

She turned to Randy, "Is that what you wanted to hear? Do you feel properly informed now?"

She could see him grinding his teeth and he was lucky that she wasn't drunk because she was no stranger to slapping when she got sufficiently angry.

He took another deep breath but she realized that she wasn't interested in whatever he was about to say. He'd crossed a line with her.

She put a hand up when he opened his mouth, keeping him from digging himself a deeper hole.

"Go fuck yourself, Randy."

* * *

"Tilt your head back."

"Jess, tilting my head back is not going to make it hurt less," Kevin groaned, dutifully tipping back against the headrest.

"I don't know Kevin, I've never broken my nose," Jessica shrugged, her shoulders so tight they were up around her ears as she drove. They were headed to Fergal's after having his nose checked out. "I don't know why you're insisting on going to this. We should just go home and get you in bed."

"I have a feeling you don't mean that in the way I'm hoping for," he chuckled.

"Kevin!" she slapped him on the thigh.

"Ouch," he laughed, rubbing the spot.

She whipped her head toward him, "Oh God, I shouldn't have done that. Are you okay?"

"I'm fine," he assured her, reaching over and rubbing her cheek. Jessica had never endured so much as a sprained ankle so she had a tendency to freak out whenever Kevin suffered any kind of injury. Near the end of his match, and errant punch caused a snap in his nose and he started bleeding all over the place. It actually didn't hurt that badly. The bleeding was over and the doctors released him so he was ready to shrug it off. And they had a babysitter for the night so he wanted to get out with his wife, even if she was near a nervous breakdown. "Really, Jessica, I'm fine."

She asked if he was sure several more times and he chuckled through it, prying one of her hands away from the steering wheel and holding it. Her shoulders finally started to relax.

"I texted Rami and told him to make sure there's some wine for you," Kevin smiled.

She laughed, "I texted Avery the same thing."

"Is she still there?" Kevin asked.

"Of course she is," Jessica nodded. "She knows you're coming and she wouldn't leave before you got there. She was texting me the whole time you were with the doctor."

"She was?" he tried to frown and winced at the tinge of pain.

"Of course she was, my handsome and stupid husband," Jessica squeezed his hand. "She's mad at you. That doesn't mean she doesn't love you. If something had happened to her, you'd be the same way. You two are annoyingly alike."

He knew that to be true. That was why they were so close. And probably why their rare fights got so out of hand.

"And you better talk tonight," Jessica declared. "Or I'll tell your children that you're the reason they won't be seeing Aunt Avery for Christmas."

"You're a cruel woman," he laughed.

"I'm the woman who loves you more than anything in this world," she reminded him. "So you have to give me what I want."

* * *

Avery could feel the smoke coming out of her ears as she walked around her old apartment complex ready to punch something.

Correction: Someone. She wanted to punch _someone._

Jon Good

Randy was already gone. He tried following her to talk after she told him to fuck off but she surrounded herself with her girls and eventually he realized there was no way he was getting through that human wall. She tried to have a few shots and forget about what upset her but she couldn't shake it off. When she started detailing the story to Ashley and Paige, she realized that Randy wasn't the only man that deserved her ire. Someone had to tell Randy about her and Fergal and there was only one person she could think of who would.

She didn't know where he was but she knew how to find him. She found Colby and Joe in the crowd. If Jon wasn't nearby, they would know where to find him.

"Where is he?" she grabbed Colby's arm, turning him to face her. "Don't ask who, you know who I'm looking for."

"What did he do now?" Joe sighed.

"Doesn't matter," she answered, not interested in explaining. "Where might I find him?"

"Avery, maybe cut him some slack," Colby looked down at her with his kind eyes. "He's a little messed up right now."

He placed a steadying hand on her shoulder but she shook it away. She didn't want her soothing, calming friend. She wanted to yell at her ex until she lost her voice.

"Messed up about _what_?" she stared.

"Avery, come on," Colby sighed, giving her tired expression. It was the same look he used to give her when he didn't want to get in between her and Jon. She couldn't blame him. Standing between them was a dangerous place to be.

She wasn't giving up though. Inevitably, Colby would tell her what she wanted to know. He always did.

Colby rolled his eyes, "He's over by the pool."

"Wonderful," she smiled. "Thank you."

She patted him on the arm as she walked away.

"Hey!" she raged, walking up and pushing him in the back.

He stumbled forward, turning to face her, "What the hell Avery?"

"Funny, that's the same question I have for you," she pointed.

She noticed several people staring and so she grabbed his arm, pulling him away from the crowd.

"Let go of me, woman," he twisted his arm away, thankfully waiting until they were clear. When she faced him again, she could see in his eyes that he was not at one hundred percent. His eyes were glassy, his brow sweaty.

Son of a bitch

The only person she hated fighting with more than Regular Jon was Drunk Jon. She should have just walked away. It was a terrible idea to continue this. There was no way it would end well.

Too bad.

She had a lot of anger built up and it had to go somewhere.

"What did you say to Randy?" she asked, planting her hands on her hips.

"I don't know what you're talking about," he shook his head, taking a swig of his beer. His words were slow and almost slurred, like a bad Razor Ramon impression.

"Yes you do," she pointed. "Stop lying."

"What did he say I said?"

"We both know exactly what you said!" her own words ran together as she lost the hold on her last shred of patience. "_Why_ would you do that?"

"I'm not gonna do this with you, woman," he pointed back at her.

"Excuse me?" she stared. "_You're_ not gonna do this with _me_? You started this. _This_ is _your_ god damn fault."

"My fault?" he scoffed.

"_Yes_!" she hissed, skin flushing with heat. She was fighting a losing battle to keep her voice down.

"Stop it, Avery," he reached out, putting his sweaty fingers over her lips. "Shhh."

She pushed his hand away, "Do not touch me."

"Don't touch _me_," he pulled his hand back. "You're always grabbing my arm."

"This is not about me!" she snapped.

"It is about you, Av," he shouted back at her, words jumbled together. "You don't get to be mad at me. I'm mad at you."

"_What_?" the word flew out of her in a screech. "What are you talking about?"

"What the hell is going on over here?"

Avery whipped her head around when she heard Fergal's accent. He was walking toward them with an easy smile, beer in hand. Poor thing had no idea what he was about to walk into.

"She won't leave me alone," Jon drunkenly pointed his beer at her, wasting some on her foot.

"Give me that," she snatched it away, holding it away when he tried to take it back.

"Avery," Fergal grinned at her, slinging an arm over her shoulder. "Give the man back his beer."

Avery's eyes narrowed to slits, trained right at Jon, as she raised the bottle to her lips, finishing off the beer and then offering him the empty bottle.

"That was just mean," Jon shook his head, looking dejectedly down at the bottle.

"You're supposed to be enjoying the party," Fergal squeezed her shoulder. "Not fighting with all of your boyfriends."

"When you're right, you're right," she agreed. If she allowed herself to keep fighting with her drunken ex, she was just going to make an embarrassing scene. She flashed Fergal a very tense smile, "I need to get away from this crazy person."

"Then come with me," he took his arm away from her shoulders, bending his elbow toward her.

"You enjoy that," Jon called after them.

"Shut up!" she glared over her shoulder.

"Want to tell me what that was about?" Fergal asked as they walked away.

Avery shook her head, taking a deep breath, "Nope."

Twenty minutes later, he was handing Avery her third shot of whiskey. She downed it as quickly as the first two, squeezing her eyes shut as it slid down her throat.

"Feel better yet?"

She opened one eye, laughing when she saw Fergal, who looked completely unaffected by the alcohol, save for the tiniest flush in his cheeks.

"Not really," she admitted. After blowups with her ex and her…whatever Randy was, she was attempting to get drunk enough to forget about the drama but she didn't feel any of the familiar warmth and tingling that came with a good hearty buzz. She was too frustrated.

She'd awkwardly admitted to Fergal what she and Jon were fighting about and once they got past the confusion of why it was a big deal, they got deep into a bottle.

There was a big cheer near the door and Avery craned her neck to see what the fuss was about.

Kevin walked in with Jessica in tow. His nose was taped and she suspected there were stitches underneath. He'd gotten his nose smashed pretty roughly in his debut match. He still came out and destroyed Sami to end the show, not letting the possibly broken nose affect him at all. She'd felt such a sense of pride when she watched the crowd losing their minds when he turned on his best friend.

He laughed at something Enzo said to him, shaking his head as he hugged the shorter man.

"You should go talk to him," Fergal advised.

"I don't have anything to say to him," she responded quickly, pouring another shot for each of them.

"Oh stop it," he laughed. "You came here on your day off to make sure that you saw his first night in person."

"I was here for Ash," Avery shrugged, not meeting her friend's eyes. When she first booked the flight, of course the plan had been to be there for him but now she was mad at him.

"Avery," he slid her shot glass out of her reach. "You two are like family. You've got plenty to say to him and you know it. Just go and tell him how you feel. I guarantee he'll listen and I bet he'll surprise you with what he has to say."

She sighed, looking down at the table in front of them.

"Listen, I know Kevin very well, not as well as you but I understand him," Fergal declared. "His goal has never been to hurt you, he's just so protective that he's willing to upset you if he thinks that he's saving you from something in the long run. I'm not saying he's right for how he acts sometimes but he loves hard. I know a certain girl who's very much the same way even if she won't admit it."

She rolled her eyes, "Why must you be so logical and rational?"

"Why do you have to be so good lookin'?" he smirked. "We all have our crosses to bear."

"You shameless flatterer," she pointed at him. He smiled and winked at her as she picked up her shot and tossed it back.

She stood up, squared her shoulders, and headed straight for Kevin before she changed her mind.

Jessica saw her coming and swiftly drew Enzo's attention to give them some privacy. Kevin spotted her and she hesitated, considering turning back around. He gave her a wistful smile, like he could read her mind and she took a deep breath, forcing her feet to move toward him.

"How's the nose?" was what she decided to open with.

"Hurt like hell when it happened," Kevin chuckled. "But they shot me up with something and now it feels good as new."

She nodded, familiar with the feeling.

"Thank you for coming," he looked her in the eye.

"I couldn't miss it," she shrugged. "You were great. Really great."

She thought back to the day she found out he signed and how she'd cried tears of joy.

"Thank you," he smiled. They fell into a painfully awkward silence before Kevin spoke again, "I'm sorry Av."

She arched a brow, waiting for him to continue.

"The thing is…I'm not sorry for what I said. I believe what I said. I hate that guy for what he put you through and when I saw you cozying up to him like nothing ever happened, it just…It pissed me off. I don't want to see that happen to you again. I want you to have what I have with Jess; someone who cares about you more than he cares about himself and would never take what you have for granted. You deserve that."

Avery considered his words carefully before she responded. She wanted something like what Kevin and Jess had, she just wasn't sure if she was ready for it yet.

"I _am_ sorry for the way that it came out," Kevin said. "I shouldn't have yelled at you like that and I shouldn't have kept going but you know how I get once I'm on a roll."

"I understand why you feel the way you do about Jon," she ran a hand through her hair. "And I appreciate you wanting to protect me. But throwing what happened in my face that way was a lot."

"I know," he lifted his hands in contrition. "I'm not good at privately airing my grievances. And I was, maybe, a little more blunt than necessary."

"Maybe?"

If there was anyone left who didn't know exactly what happened the night of Avery and Jon's breakup, they knew after Kevin yelled it out at her Thanksgiving party.

"Definitely," he corrected. "I was definitely too blunt. I'm sorry. And I hate it when you won't talk to me. I'm surprised Jess and the kids aren't going out of their minds."

"I've talked to Jess and the kids," she shrugged. "I'm not gonna punish myself because you're a jerk."

He laughed, "I knew it! I walked into the kitchen the other day and she rushed off the phone and said it was her cousin that she hasn't talked to in 3 years."

"Oh Jess," Avery shook her head.

"Can we be cool now?" he asked. "You're my best friend. Rami thinks it's him but it's you."

"I know," she offered a knowing smile. "And we can be cool. But it's probably for the best if we let Rami keep thinking he wins."

Kevin agreed and gave her a big, warm hug. Jessica rushed over, wrapping her arms around both of them. Soon, it was a strange group hug full of anyone in the surrounded area and Kevin was pushing everyone away.

"You love it," Jessica teased.

"I love you," he pointed at her.

"Awwwww," Avery put a hand over her heart, looking between the two of them. They bordered on nauseatingly adorable at times. They all sat down, catching each other up on anything they'd missed during the fight. Kevin and Avery shared their thoughts on how weird it was that Rami and Paige were involved. Avery talked at length about her Chairs match on Sunday. There wasn't a single moment of silence.

Jessica was in the middle of telling a story about her son waking her up with a frog splash when the sound of Jon's horribly off key wailing tore through Avery's eardrums. She whipped her head in his direction, hoping to silence him with her gaze but he was too busy singing into Kenta's cringing face to notice. He was getting out of control. He'd dropped a bottle off of the balcony earlier, which Colby took care of. Then, he started shotgunning beers with Enzo. She looked around for his handlers but couldn't find Colby or Joe anywhere in the crowd. She didn't even see Sami.

Another line from 'Livin' on a Prayer' left his lips and everyone cringed.

"Oh hell," Avery tossed her head back.

"What's the matter Kenta?" he slurred. "You don' like my song?"

Avery stared at the two men. She knew that tinge in his voice, to most, he sounded like he was joking but in drunk Jon-speak, he would be throwing a punch soon.

"I'll be back," she patted Jessica on the shoulder. Kevin sighed deeply but she ignored her pouty friend, ducking around him. When she reached Jon, he was reaching out to push Kenta's shoulder. She swiftly grabbed his hand, draping his arm over her shoulders.

"When did you get here?" he asked and Avery cringed. He smelled like he'd been drinking gasoline.

"Just now," she answered as Kenta gave her a grateful look and slipped away. She put her arm around his waist, "You need to come with me."

"I don't need to go anywhere," he spoke with righteous indignation and a heavy slur.

"Oh shut up," she turned them around. He was very unsteady on his feet and came close to taking both of them down but she hefted him up, dragging him stumbling and protesting into the bathroom.

"You are out of control," she admonished him when she closed and locked the door behind them.

"Didn't I tell you I was mad at you?" he pointed slightly to the left of her head. "Why are you talking to me?"

She noticed that he'd somehow managed to smuggle a beer bottle in with them. She had no idea when or how he'd swiped it on their short journey to the bathroom. She reached out to take it away but he held it out of her reach, "You can't have my beer."

"Why? Because you're mad at me?" she snipped, mocking him nastily. She crossed her arms, leaning her back against the door. "Do I have to remind you that you are the one who told Randy-"

"Who cares about Randy?" Jon interjected loudly. "Fuck that guy. This isn't about him."

"Why am I talking to a drunk person?" she looked up at the ceiling.

"This is about me," he pointed the bottle at himself. He turned the neck to her, "And you."

"What are you talking about?"

He didn't answer her question. He didn't seem able. His face paled and sweat glistened on his forehead.

"Shit," she rushed over, pulling up the toilet seat just as he turned around, dropped to his knees, and emptied the contents of his stomach.

* * *

_Can we talk?_

Randy stared down at the unsent message on his phone. He'd typed out five different messages to Avery ranging from offering an apology to demanding one. He deleted each as soon as he typed them and now he was left with this one.

_Can we talk?_

Maybe he shouldn't have confronted her the way he did. Maybe he shouldn't have engaged in a conversation with Jon in the first place. That guy was supposed to be the jealous one; bitter that Avery didn't want him anymore.

Randy didn't have anything to be jealous about. Avery had given him as much as he'd asked for. Nothing more but nothing less. She was right, she'd never asked him anything about who he'd been with and he couldn't say he would've been honest if she had. And who she'd been with wasn't any of his business.

He knew it wasn't. It had nothing to do with him but he couldn't help the fact that knowing was driving him up the wall. Her temper tantrum at the party did nothing to make it better.

He pressed the back button, deleting the message and tossing the phone away. He couldn't ask that question because he wasn't sure how to talk to her yet.

* * *

Avery knelt in front of Jon, twisting the cap off of a water bottle. He was facing her, his back against the tub. His eyes were intensely blue. They always looked that way when he was sick.

It sounded like the party was still in full force outside the bathroom door but they were in their own, strange little world. All of the shots Avery earlier in the night seemed to hit her when she rushed out into the kitchen to get water. Now she had an unwelcome buzz and a sick drunkard to care for. Her vitriol had taken a back seat to her nurturing side. She hated seeing him sick, even when he'd done it to himself.

"Come on," she scooted forward, sitting on her heels, between his outstretched legs. "Drink some water."

"Don't want any more water," he pouted, shaking his head.

"You haven't had any, you can't say you don't want more," she chuckled, taking his hand and wrapping it around the bottle. "Drink."

He didn't listen at first and she pouted, "Please?"

He grumbled in protest but took two long drinks.

"I don't know what happened," he rasped, shaking his head.

"You drank like half of the booze at this party, that's what happened."

"Touche, dollface," he pointed a shaky finger at her.

She got up, running a wash cloth under the faucet. She looked over at him as she squeezed the towel, taking in his pained expression and pallid complexion. He had a higher tolerance than most. She'd only ever seen him drink himself sick once in the years she'd known him.

"What got into you tonight?" she returned to her spot between his knees. "And if you say something about being mad at me again so help me Jonathan, I will slap you."

She gently patted the damp cloth across his forehead.

"That's what it is though," he admitted, his long s's making it clear that he was still far from sober. "I am."

She held up her free hand in a mock threat and he grabbed it, bringing their joined hands down to her lap. She swiped the cloth over his flushed cheeks and he watched her with a strange expression.

"You want to know why?" he asked.

"No." She knew whatever reason he had would be nonsensical at best and she was trying not to start yelling again.

"I'm mad at you for looking like this," he reached up, his thumb brushing over her cheekbone. She raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're so pretty," he sighed. "You just keep getting prettier. I hate it. It's annoying."

"Thanks," she offered a dry response.

"And you keep making me want to kiss you and then you say you don't want me," he pointed. "Because you're a lying liar."

She wasn't sure how to respond so she brushed his hair away from his face with the towel and sighed, "You're drunk."

"Stop," he twisted his face, pushing the towel away like a bratty child. "You said no backsliding, right? Then stop getting so close to me. Stop flirting with me all the time."

Avery blinked, words escaping her. Her instincts told her to staunchly defend herself. He was wrong and she was right. That was the way of the world. She struggled to fight back her natural response because, unfortunately for her, the drunken ass had a point. She stared down at the towel in her hands, debating the merits of having this discussion. Her thoughts were interrupted by a soft thud and she looked up to see Jon, sound asleep, his head now resting on the tile wall.

A giggle escaped her and she reached up, running her fingertips over his cheek, "What am I supposed to do with you?"


End file.
